HBS Vignettes
by 10Blue10
Summary: (Set in the HBS Verse) Memories revisited. Dreams flown. Friends played with. Moments in the life of Toothless-Hiccup.
1. The Ones that Matter

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: The first of these one-shots was inspired by sarahenany's 'Unbreaking', an absolutely gorgeous fix-it fic for 'The Terrible Twos'. The second is a continuation of the first.

The Ones That Matter

He's leaving me.

He's really, seriously leaving me here!

He looks back, once, and then - nothing. Not even a "See you soon, bud." No "It's not for long." He's walking away from me, but why? Why?

He wants to keep me and the demon spawn apart. He thinks I'm jealous, that I want to hurt a hatchling. As if I would! Doesn't he know me better than that? I only tried to warn him! To give the pest back to his real mother, so he'd stop stealing my food and my bed and my-

I snarl in frustrated denial. No, it cannot be! Torch cannot have stolen Hiccup from me too...can he?

She's still out there. She'll kill him. I have to get out of here! I leap at the rocks, digging my claws in and struggling to haul myself out. They are wet and slippery with last night's rain, and I can't get a good grip. My wings flutter; I can't beat them properly, powerfully, without slapping them against the rough stone.

A run up! That will work, surely. I charge at the wall of the cove and in a single bound, make it about halfway. I'm so close, but when I try to stretch a paw up to the edge, the other can't hold my weight. Soil and stone give way as I scrabble helplessly, falling back to the ground.

I scream in anger, long and loud. How dare he?! The arrogant, ignorant little waif! He's nothing but a stupid human hatchling. He has no idea...I can see his reasons, misguided as they are, for wanting to keep Torch and I apart. But if that is so, then why not send the newcomer away? Why am I the one who has to be punished?

In all the time I've known him, everything we've been through together, Hiccup has never treated me like this. Unequal. Unworthy. As if I really am just his pet, and he my master. He is...he was like a brother to me. I had thought - hoped - he saw me in much the same way.

Anger makes my heart fires blaze and I spit fireballs out to quell it. How could he?! How could he?! He used our bond against me, made this special place to us into a prison, and left me here without so much as a goodbye. And for what? To protect a dragon he's only just met?

The human I love has abandoned me here...as if he doesn't trust me anymore. A terrible thought stops my raging in its tracks and freezes my heart fires like ice that kills. Hiccup abandoned me...as if he doesn't love me anymore.

Surely not. Surely I'm mistaken; he'll realise he was wrong and then he'll come back for me. I just have to wait, and pray that the mother Fire-Spinner doesn't find him first. If she scents her hatchling on him - and he's covered in it - she will think he's stolen her baby, and she'll...

The thought of it spurs me on, and I try again to get out of the cove. I cannot. I scream until my throat is raw. Stupid cove! Stupid Torch! Stupid Hiccup! Then I collapse, exhausted, and whimper. Hiccup...he might not care for me anymore - please don't let it be true - but I can't help caring about him.

I shouldn't. I shouldn't have gotten attached. It's dangerous. Humans are dangerous, whether they're hunting you or not. Maybe...maybe this hurts more, like a blade in my chest, because I thought he loved me. I could call for help - I'll just have to ignore my pride and let another dragon haul me out of this trap - but would he let me come back? Or would he just put me back here?

* * *

I wake with a start, ear-flaps erect. What was...?

"TOOTHLESS!"

Hiccup! I leap to my feet and try to scramble out of the cove again. He's in danger, he needs me, Torch's mother must have found him! I look up at the cliff edge and roar to let him know I'm here - and then I see him blindly jump off the edge. Stupid human. What if I'd been at the other side of the cove?

I jump to catch him, and somehow he lands in the saddle and my tail-fins unfurl and I'm whole again. "Thanks, bud. I'm so sorry, I should have listened to you."

Damn right you should have.

Torch causes trouble, again, but at last he's back with his mother and siblings. I'm almost grateful that Hiccup only found one of those little pests. We go back home and...

* * *

It's times like these that I wish humans could understand us. If I could have just told Hiccup what was really happening...but I suppose I can't blame him too much. He's only a fledgling; worse, he's a human fledging. It's both fascinating and annoying how humans - especially mine - can be so clever and so dumb at the same time.

He's young. He's stupid. He didn't mean to hurt me, he was just doing what he thought was right. If I can forgive him for my tail, I can forgive him this.

"I should have known you were just trying to protect me. That's what you do."

Yes. Yes it is. I still cough up half a fish into his lap; I have to get my revenge somehow.

* * *

Toothless had just started to get used to his own body again when he heard a sob. Immediately, he looked over to see Hiccup kneeling nearby, arms wrapped around himself and tears in his eyes. *Hiccup?*

The young man looked up at him, clearly stricken. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Toothless, I'm sorry, I had no idea you - why didn't you tell me? I'll make it up to you, I promise. Do whatever you want" he announced, sprawling on his back with his stomach and throat exposed, apologising the way a dragon would.

Toothless stared at Hiccup, wondering what had gotten into him. Then he realised. He sighed and leaned down to lick Hiccup's neck - then the rest of his face, just for good measure. Hiccup spluttered. "Toothless?! What're you doing? I deserve way more than that!" he protested, sitting up again.

Toothless swatted him upside the head with his tail. *Don't be so dramatic. You just lived through my memories of when we found Torch, didn't you?*

"Yes, and I am so, so sorry"-

*Then you know I've forgiven you*.

"How?! You said - and I still don't understand how you forgave me for this, either." Hiccup lifted Toothless' tail, cradling it and stroking a hand reverently across the smooth surface. "Why didn't you tell me, when you could?" he implored.

Again, Toothless stared. *Hiccup, you _know_ that I've forgiven you for what happened to my tail. And the whole mess with Torch was _years_ ago. I'm over it; I thought you were too* he explained.

"I didn't realise how much I hurt you! I made you think that I..." He couldn't say it. "I never meant to do that. I just...Torch was so small and I was scared you'd attack him and I couldn't just lock you up and I thought at least you liked the cove - but I should've just let Fishlegs or someone take care of Torch instead. I never would have taken him home if I'd known he was such a little menace!"

If there was one thing neither of them could bear, it was the other being distressed. Toothless nuzzled Hiccup, who was still hugging the dragon's tail-fin to his chest. *I told you, it's okay. Even then I knew that you wouldn't hurt me on purpose; and I've lived through your memories too. I know how much it hurt you to leave me behind, that you really did think it was for the best*.

Hiccup dragged a hand over his face. "I was a moron" he announced despondently. "How did I not realise that if a baby dragon was lost, it's mother was probably looking for it? Next time I say something is for the best, please just slap me."

He looked up at Toothless and held up the tail-fin. "I did this" he declared, "and then I used it against you. I didn't trust you when you needed me to, and I never understood what I'd done until now. I know you forgive me, I just...don't understand how" he admitted.

*Hiccup, you made a _mistake_. And as for my tail...you know what they say, a downed dragon is a dead dragon. Even if they're not killed, a dragon who can never fly again will, eventually, lose the will to live*. Toothless focused on his phantom fin, and it morphed before their eyes into the original brown prosthetic Hiccup had spent weeks perfecting. *You brought me back to life*.

*But I'm the reason you lost your flight in the first place!" Hiccup protested. "I don't deserve you."

*That's like saying you don't deserve to be loved*.

"I don't deserve your love. I never have" Hiccup sighed. He gazed down at Toothless' tail-fin and it's leather counterpart. All he could think of were his own flaws and failings, and he'd never be able to fathom how he could possibly have earned, much less deserve, his other half's selfless devotion.

His thoughts must have shown on his face because Toothless sighed, exasperated, and insisted *Yes, you do. You did this*, he twitched his tail-fin, *but I did that*, he gestured with a paw at Hiccup's ethereal foot. They were the same, they matched. Two halves.

Hiccup shook his head. "It's not the same. You were trying to save my life...I shot you down just so I could be popular and get a date" he said, voice thick with self-loathing.

*Well, it worked, didn't it? Shooting me down did make you popular and get you a date. Eventually. After three or four years* Toothless teased, purring amusement. Hiccup wasn't really in the mood for jokes, however, and pouted. Toothless had had enough of his human's sulking; it was entirely unnecessary.

*You know, it's strange that you think I'm so forgiving. You're even more forgiving than I am* he remarked. When Hiccup glanced up at him questioningly, Toothless explained, *Every time I've forgiven you - forgiven anyone, really - is when you did something to make up for it. Even if it was just admitting you were wrong. But you...

*Before we met, those five friends of yours used to ignore and bully you constantly. Astrid came to her senses - with help, of course - but the rest of them? They didn't try to change until you almost got killed; as if they needed a battle to see how resilient you were. You didn't even know they'd apologised, but you still forgave them for it all*.

Hiccup blinked up at him, confused. "I...wait, what do you mean, I didn't know they'd apologised?"

The dragon suddenly looked sheepish. *It happened when you were...asleep...after we killed the Red Death. They came in one by one and talked to you. Although I don't see why they couldn't have told you when you were awake*.

"Ah, well, maybe they were embarrassed. We don't mind admitting we're wrong, but we'd prefer not to do it face to face" Hiccup joked. He sobered again and added, "I just...I forgave them because I didn't see the point in holding a grudge. And they've made up for it since then, haven't they? Besides, at the time I figured...even if the novelty of me defeating the Red Death wore off, and things went back to normal, I'd be able to handle it, because I had you" he smiled up at Toothless.

The Night Fury nuzzled his human even as he ached inside. It still hurt, that there was once a time that Hiccup believed his accomplishments would be dismissed, and that him being belittled and put down was 'normal'. True, Hiccup's former bullies had done much to make amends...but still, Toothless wasn't sure they could ever do enough to make up for mistreating his human. That was probably his overprotectiveness talking, though.

*My point is, if you could forgive them so easily, then...*

"I should be able to forgive myself?" Hiccup finished for him. He sighed. "I know, I just feel awful that I didn't realise...are you sure it's okay? That...that we're okay?" he asked hesitantly.

Toothless resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Hiccup was acting like he'd been secretly seething with resentment this entire time; surely he of all people should know that dragons rarely dwelt on the past. *Come here* he said instead, pawing at Hiccup to tug him into an embrace. Hiccup wrapped his arms around the thick black neck and whispered into his other half's ear, "I love you, so much."

*I love you too* Toothless crooned to him. *Silly. Are you going to get this emotional over all of my memories?*

"No" Hiccup shook his head and hugged Toothless even tighter. "Just the ones that matter."


	2. Secret Apologies

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

Secret Apologies

*So let me guess* Toothless said when they finally ended the embrace, *You want to know what everyone said whilst you were unconscious all that time, don't you?*

Hiccup hesitated. He couldn't deny that he was curious...but if his friends had spoken to him when they thought he couldn't hear, then they probably didn't want him to know about it. Then again...didn't he have a right to know what they were saying to him, or about him? Or maybe he didn't want to know.

Eventually he shrugged and said, "I suppose the worst they can do is be upset that I know, and that's if they ever find out. If I could keep you a secret for months, I can keep this one. But...how am I going to see what happened back then?" he wondered.

*Maybe I can show it to you* Toothless suggested. He rested his forehead against Hiccup's, and tried to bring up the memories from the back of his mind. It had been so long since he'd thought about them...yet slowly but surely, Hiccup found himself seeing through Toothless' eyes once more.

* * *

Hiccup still hasn't woken up. It's been days since we killed Her, and he's been sleeping all that time. I...I'm starting to worry he might sleep forever. He's lying in a nest of furs in this wood cave, and I sleep beside him so I can hear him breathing and his heart beating. Only I don't really sleep, because I'm afraid I'll wake up and he'll be...

His sire and the other humans are trying to help him. They give him water, and something that looks like muddy water but smells and tastes like meat. 'Stoick' doesn't like it when I drink the meat-water, but he does remember to give me fish to eat, so that's good. The human's Elder of Healing gives him herbs to put in Hiccup's water to heal him.

I watch the humans, and I see from how Stoick talks with his voice and his body, and how all the other humans show him respect and obeisance, that he must be their Alpha. That means the way Hiccup's pack-mates treat him - used to treat him - makes even less sense. He's the offspring of their alpha, he should share his father's rank, and yet all this time they've been treating him like the omega.

Stupid humans, can't even get pack hierarchy right.

Stoick hasn't slept much either. He has work to do, but he keeps coming back to sit beside Hiccup with me and beg him to wake up. I can tell he isn't really happy with me being here, but he's not saying anything because I saved his son's life and he owes it to Hiccup not to get rid of me. I wouldn't go even if he tried.

"Oh, son" he croon, brushing Hiccup's hair out of his face. His paws are huge, but he's very careful because Hiccup is fragile. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have listened to you, and now..."

He trails off and sighs. "Gothi says you can hear us, but I wish you'd give us a sign, son" he says. 'Gothi' is the Elder of Healing. Still, he keeps talking, as if to get things off his chest. That's why Hiccup talked to me in the cove, even though he didn't know I could understand him. "I feel like I don't even know you. You grew into a warrior when I wasn't looking...I know I, uh, haven't been the best father. I really tried, but it's hard, being a father and a chief at the same time.

"The truth is, you remind me so much of your mother. Really, it's uncanny. It's just...when I look at you, sometimes all I can see is her, and think about how she...why she's not here. I only ever wanted to protect you - the thought of a dragon coming and taking you away was..." his voice trembles a bit.

I feel bad for him all of a sudden. His mate - Hiccup's dam - must have been killed in one of the raids, and maybe he didn't know how to take care of Hiccup without his mother. Don't the females in a human pack all help to take care of their young? Don't they have crèches? I'm starting to wonder how they survive at all, if they don't take care of each other.

I croon to Stoick, to try and comfort him. He stares at me - he looks surprised and a bit confused and he won't stop staring, it's creeping me out. I look away and go back to gazing at Hiccup. I don't want to miss the moment he wakes up. I can feel Stoick still staring at me, but I ignore the prickling on my scales and ignore him.

After a while he speaks again. "I guess I should be glad he didn't _let_ you carry him off" he says, and then he groans. "Odin help me, I must be mad. First I let a Night Fury into my house, now I'm talking to it as if it understands me..."

*You couldn't keep me out of this nest if you tried. And I can understand you, actually. Dragons on the other side of the island can hear you. You're very loud* I tell him. It's a bit funny, talking to humans even though they can't hear me, but only a bit.

He keeps looking at me, but he's not being aggressive. He's staring the way Hiccup used to watch me in the cove, as if he's curious about me. I wonder what he's thinking...I can't tell from looking at him, all his signals are closed off. He's well named. Finally he sighs and asks quietly, "You really do care about my son, don't you dragon?"

So that's why he kept staring...he was trying to understand how I'm feeling. Really, though, it's a stupid question. Of course I care about Hiccup. I feel like I need to reply, but I don't know how humans say 'yes' without words. I purr and nuzzle Hiccup very gently, to show him he's right. From the way he gasps, I think maybe he understands.

"I guess the days of me shouting at him to get inside are finally over" Stoick says. "It's not as if he ever stayed put anyway. And I suppose, if he's with you...there's nowhere safer he could be. But I'm warning you, dragon, if you do anything to hurt my boy..." he lets the threat hang, but I don't really feel that threatened. We both know Hiccup would never let him get rid of me. And I would _never_ hurt Hiccup.

Stoick gets to his feet. "I have to go. Astrid and...and the others might come and visit him. So don't burn the place down trying to defend him, you over-protective lizard" he warns me. I huff at him. *Look who's talking*. I'm not going to set fire to Hiccup's home, but if anyone wants to 'visit' him, they'll have to get past me first. He needs rest.

* * *

I settle down on the other side of the bed, so I'm between Hiccup and the piece of wood humans put in the mouths of their caves. I think it's called a 'door'. I keep an eye on Hiccup and my ears on the outside, and I hear someone outside. I'm on alert at once, facing the door and bracing myself. If it's anyone but Stoick, or the Elder of Healing, or that other male who I think might be the beta, they're in for a fright.

The blond female puts her head inside the cave. I recognise her; Astrid, Hiccup's desired. I know she's no threat, but when she sees me, she starts to smell nervous. "Hey, Toothless. Hey, boy" she says softly, slipping inside the nest. She approaches me cautiously, and takes a fish from beneath her fake-skins. I realise then that I'm very hungry, but I won't let my guard down that easily.

"Please? I just want to see Hiccup. I'm really worried about him" she says. I'm not really happy about this - Hiccup needs to rest and get better so he can wake up and be happy, but I accept her peace offering of fish and step aside. She approaches the bed and looks at him for a long time. Maybe staring is just a thing humans do, like how they show they're happy by baring their teeth instead of purring or chirping like any sensible animal.

"Hey" she says finally. "I don't know if you can hear me, but...I like to think you can. I think you're just being stubborn" she huffs. "So, uh...thanks. For what you did. For us." She brushes her long fur out of her eyes. "I just, uh...I just wanted to say sorry. For ignoring you all that time. It wasn't fair and...we should have given you a chance."

Hiccup moans, and we both startle. Is he waking up? He mumbles something in his sleep - it almost sounds like "Astrid" - and coughs. Then he's sinking right back into this strange sleep that's held him for days and days. When did Stoick leave? I can't remember. He left, and Astrid came. I'm not sure what happened in between.

When he doesn't stir anymore, Astrid smells disappointed. "Hiccup, I don't say this to a lot of people...but _please_ wake up" she begs. "We...we miss you, you know." She presses her mouth to his cheek very quickly, and then she too leaves. Perhaps now Hiccup can get some peace and quiet. No, wait...Stoick said the 'others' might come to see him. He must mean Hiccup's peers, the other human fledglings that fought with us that day.

* * *

Sure enough, after a few days one of them - the bulky one who rode the Rock-Tail - peeks inside the cave. When he sees me he smells very nervous and his eyes bug out. He edges inside, clutching a fish and staring at me in wonder. "Wow..." he says quietly, "I can't believe I'm looking at a real live Night Fury!"

By now I've realised that 'Night Fury' is not the name these humans gave me, but the name they gave to my kind. It's fitting, I suppose - it's certainly a lot better than some of the other names they've come up with. Zippleback, for instance; what the heck even is a zipple? Still, it makes sense that he's awed by me - I am pretty spectacular.

Awed - I'll call him that until I learn his real name - shuffles a bit closer. "Hello...Toothless? Is that your name? Astrid said it was, and she said to give you fish..." he's holding it out by his fingertips. So that's what this is; they're all going to bribe me with food to get past me and bother Hiccup. Nice try, Awed, but you won't...by the moon that fish smells good...

I decide that Awed is no threat, and take the fish from him. He flinches even though I didn't have my fangs out. I retreat, but watch him closely the whole time. He edges up to the nest and peers at Hiccup, patting the tips of his paws together. "Um, Hiccup? It's me, Fishlegs" he says. Well at least now I know his...Wait, fish don't even have legs!

'Fishlegs' goes on, "I just wanted to say I'm really, really sorry. I mean, we used to be friends, when we were little, but then I - I ditched you, just because I was too scared to stand up to the others. Maybe if we'd stuck together, things might have been different. So...I'm sorry, okay?" He pats the tips of his paws together again, and adds, "Please don't die, Hiccup. You've still got to tell me all about your Night Fury."

After that, he leaves. Stoick comes back and gives me fish, and sits with Hiccup for a while, but finally he yawns and trudges off to his own nest. I will watch over Hiccup for him. Dragons can stay awake much longer than humans.

* * *

A few days later, Hiccup still hasn't woken, but he gets visitors again. The two clutch-mates, a male and a female, that rode the Twin-Head. They stare at me as well; I'm starting to get used to it; but they don't smell scared, they smell excited. "Cool!" says the male, "Night Fury! As if Stoick's keeping him in the house, that's new."

"Duh!" his clutch-mate retorts, "Of course he is! It's Hiccup's dragon. He'd go berserk if he woke up and it wasn't there." I ignore how insulting it is to be called an 'it' and purr in agreement. Hiccup would be very upset if he woke up and I wasn't there, which is why I only leave his side to mark my territory, as it were.

"He'd go join the Berserkers?" male twin says in a puzzled way. "And uh, didn't Astrid say it's name was Toothless? And it was a he? You're a boy dragon, right?" he asks me. How does he expect me to answer? Still, I guess it's nice that they're treating me like I can think, even if they do keep calling me an 'it'.

"How're we gonna get past him?" Female twin asks. The other one shrugs and asks, "Why would he name a dragon 'Toothless?'"

I open my mouth and retract my teeth to show them why Hiccup gave me this name. They stare at me, and then male twin asks, "Uh, what is he doing?" How do they not get it?

"Oh, yeah! He probably wants this" female twin decides, pulling a fish out from under her fake skins. I could smell it before, but all of her smells like fish, so I couldn't tell if she actually had a fish. She makes as if to throw it into my mouth; I close it, and the fish hits me on the nose.

"You don't throw it at the _dragon_ , stupid" male twin scoffs. He waves a fish of his own in my face and talks as if to a very small hatchling. "Here, boy! Here dragon! You want the yummy fishy? Well...go get it!" He tosses the fish across the cave.

I give them both my best 'are you kidding me' look. I've learned that not all humans are as dumb as I used to think, but clearly some are. I still go to pick the fish up...there's no sense in letting perfectly good food go to waste, after all.

Whilst they think I'm distracted, the twins approach Hiccup's bed. "Is he still breathing?" asks female twin. Male twin replies, "let me check." He reaches out to touch Hiccup, but a growl from me makes him freeze. Only Stoick, the beta 'Gobber', Gothi and I are allowed to touch Hiccup.

My little brother stirs and moans in his sleep. Female twin says "So, he is breathing then...that's good. It'd be awkward if he wasn't."

"Yeah...so, what are we doing again?" asks male twin. He's clearly the stupider one of the pair.

"Apologising to Hiccup for picking on him, duh!"

"You know he's asleep, right?"

"Gothi said he could hear us. Just say sorry, okay?"

"Okay, okay! Sorry. Happy now?"

"No! Ugh, let me do it". Female twin pushes her clutch-mate aside. "Hiccup? It's us. We came to say sorry for picking on you for so long. You know, for calling you 'useless' and taking your things and playing some kind of mean pranks on you..."

"Oh, you mean like the time we pretended we were gonna sacrifice him to Loki, and he started crying? That was funny" says male twin. Funny?! I start to growl, but before I can reprimand him, his sister beats me to it. She hits him and hisses, "Shut up! You're making it worse!"

"Sorry."

"Good. So, yeah...what you did was really awesome, best explosion we've ever seen, and it sucks that you lost your leg..."

"It could've been worse. He could have been made 'armless!" male twin laughs. "'Armless! You get it!"

"Shh!" female twin hisses at him, as Hiccup moans again, "You'll wake him up!"

"Uh, don't we want him to wake up?"

"If we wake him up too soon, it might kill him."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. That's what Gothi said, anyway. We might give him a heart attack, or something."

I'm getting tired of these two. I make to scare them out of the nest, but then Stoick comes inside. "What do you two think you're doing in here?" he demands. They were trespassing?! Oh dear.

"Chief! How are you? Are those new braids in your beard?"

Stoick grabs male and female twin and throws them out of his nest. "Good job guarding my son, dragon" he glowers at me. I don't show submission - he might be the human's alpha, but he's not mine - but I do feel ashamed. Hiccup needs me to watch over him, and I keep letting these fledglings bother him.

* * *

More days pass, and Hiccup still still still won't wake wake up! He's not getting worse, I think, but I don't know if he's getting better either. He smells less of sickness each day, but if he's healing, then why hasn't he woken yet? I feel horribly guilty, even though I know I saved his life.

The door opens and the human who rode the Fire-Scale pokes his head inside. I plant myself between Hiccup and this intruder, growling a warning. He's scared, but he comes inside the cave anyway. "Stop that! Bad dragon. Shush!" Is he really trying to tell me what to do? This must be one of the fledglings that keeps coming to apologise to Hiccup. Why do they keep doing it when he's asleep?

"You don't scare me" this fledgling says, posturing. He is scared, but he's pretending not to be. "Look, Stoick said I could be here, alright? Besides, Astrid said I had to do this. So take this stupid fish and leave me alone, okay?" Pretender insists, holding out a fish. I hold my ground. Not this time, I won't let myself be bribed with food again. Hiccup is _not to be disturbed._

Pretender is frustrated. "Oh, come on! Everyone else got to see him, he lets them past, but _no_ , when Snotlout turns up of course Hiccup's freaking pet dragon gets all defensive…" he mutters to himself. I bristle; I recognise his name. 'Snotlout' is the name of the fledgling that Hiccup told me bullied him the most, and then fawned over him the most. I would never trust a _dragon_ like that.

"Look, I have to do this, okay? Astrid will kill me if I don't. So just let me past, will you?" he demands. I weigh my options; he _did_ say Stoick had given permission for him to come into this nest – although he might be lying. If he really is here to apologise…then I suppose I can humour him, just this once. I step aside, glaring at him the whole time. *I've got my eyes on you, human*.

'Snotlout' edges past me and up to Hiccup's nest of furs. He fidgets on the spot, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. It looks kind of funny, but I hold back a chortle. "Hey. So, uh…ugh, why does this have to be so hard? Look, I know we've never gotten along. I mean, I'm a real Viking and you're just, y'know, _you_. But I guess…you're not as much of a useless wimp as I always thought you were." Wow. This is what he calls an apology? No, wait, he's not finished.

"This doesn't mean we're friends now, or anything" he says defensively, "but I gotta admit, the way you took out that huge dragon was pretty cool" he mumbles. They all talk about how Hiccup (and me, remember?) killed the Queen, but that's not what makes him worthwhile. "Yeah, so, I'm…you know… _sorry_ " he says through gritted teeth, "for…all of it, I guess."

He leaves in quite a hurry after that, but not before tossing me the fish. As I eat it, I think about these fledglings coming to apologise to Hiccup. I suppose it's good that they did, even though I don't understand why they're doing it now instead of when he's really awake. Maybe they'll apologise again when he does wake up. I refuse to believe he won't. I don't know if this is enough to make up for everything they've done to him…but I suppose it's a start.

* * *

Hiccup blinked several times, curled and uncurled his fingers, and pulled a face. *Ugh…I can still taste the raw fish* he complained, spitting _disgust._ He got to his feet and went to the cove pool for a drink to try and wash the taste out of his mouth. Toothless followed behind him, demanding indignantly, *What's wrong with raw fish?*

*Nothing, if you're a dragon* Hiccup replied, rinsing his mouth. He knelt by the lake and looked down into the clear water thoughtfully. *I do remember them saying that stuff…bits of it, anyway. I just thought it was a dream…* He looked over at Toothless and asked, *So how long did it take you to learn the twin's real names?*

*They have real names?* Toothless asked innocently. Hiccup snickered. *I still don't know why they apologised when you were asleep. It would have meant more if you'd been awake*.

*I guess there's only one way to find out; I'll ask them about it tomorrow. But since we're here…* He closed his eyes, focused, and transformed into his Night Fury form. Then he gave Toothless a gummy grin and asked mischievously, *You wanna race?*

Toothless jumped to his feet and spread his own wings. *On three?*

*Sure. Three!* Hiccup leapt into the air, beating his wings as hard as he could to gain altitude.

*What the – hey! Get back here!* Toothless roared after him, giving chase, both of them laughing.

* * *

The next day, Hiccup got all his friends to gather in the training ring by saying he had something important to tell them. "Alright, we're all here. So what's going on?" asked Astrid, when they were all standing in a loose circle in the middle of the ring.

Hiccup looked around at them all and took a deep breath. "So, Toothless and I have this dreamworld, you know, but we've also been living through each other's memories. We dream about our old adventures, but from each other's point of view. So I feel as if I'm him, and he feels as if he's me. You follow?" Fishlegs and Astrid seemed to, but the uncomprehending stares of Snotlout and the twins were…unsurprising, actually.

"Did you drag us all the way out here just to tell us about your dream?" Snotlout demanded, "That sounds like something Fishface would do." He ignored the indignant glare Fishlegs gave him.

"Yes, and no. I found out that…that you guys apologised to me, whilst I was in that coma after the Red Death's…um, death. I saw it all through Toothless' eyes. And we both wondered…why didn't you guys wait until I'd woken up?" he asked.

"Cos waking you up would have killed you" Tuffnut announced blithely.

"And you were dying" added Ruffnut.

Fishlegs rolled his eyes. "What they mean is, no-one really knew when you were gonna wake up" he explained to Hiccup.

Astrid added, "Nobody knew for sure… _if_ you were going to wake up. So we…we thought we'd better apologise whilst we knew you were still alive, even if you couldn't hear us…before it was too late."

"And we were going to apologise again after you woke up" said Fishlegs.

"I wasn't" declared Snotlout.

"We were?" asked Tuffnut. Astrid punched them both.

"If you were mad at us" Fishlegs went on, as if he'd not been interrupted. "Only, you weren't. You didn't mention it. So…we didn't either." It had been easier, to pretend none of it had ever happened and that everything was okay, after it was clear that Hiccup was making a full recovery.

Hiccup smiled wryly. "It's okay. I appreciate the thought anyway, and you guys have made up for it and then some. Besides, Thor himself knows that the day Snotlout admits he was wrong about something is the day Ragnarok begins." They all laughed.

"Hey!" Snotlout protested, "That's not true. I admitted I was wrong about overworking Hookfang until he got sick, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did" Hiccup admitted, "So, do you guys want to do something? I was just thinking, we haven't hung out for a while…"

"Don't you and T have, like, Alpha stuff to do?" asked Tuffnut.

"Well, we were going to check in on Dragon Island, make sure our subjects there aren't trying to stage a coup or something" Hiccup replied, only half-seriously. "You wanna come with?"

"Sure, I'm up for a trip out to Dragon Island" smiled Astrid.

Fishlegs added, "Just like the old days."

The six of them mounted up, and as their dragons flew in V formation with Hiccup and Toothless in the lead, he reflected on how far they'd come since the early days of the Academy, and how much further they still had to go.

Then Snotlout called a race…so of course he and Toothless had to step up. They _were_ the Alphas, after all.


	3. One of Us

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: I just want to let you guys know that after giving it some thought, I've altered the final chapter of 'Skin and Bones' so that Harald is going to be imprisoned on Berserker Island with his men, but then kills himself out of spite.

One of Us

Restless, Toothless awoke. It was the second night back on Berk since they'd returned from Myrkr. For a moment he wondered if he should just go back to sleep; after all, there wasn't much he could do awake but watch Hiccup sleep - not that he did anything like that, of course.

He remembered then that he and Hiccup were heart bound now, his rider could understand him. Perhaps Hiccup would even be willing to come with him. The bubble of hope burst when he recalled that they were both grounded. Stoick's orders.

Toothless slumped on his slab, eyes hooded with exasperation. Hiccup was probably too tired anyway. He lay there and sulked, forgetting that Hiccup could sense his emotions now...It wasn't long before the young man stirred. "Ngh...Toothless?"

The dragon lifted the tail-fin that had been draped over his face and peered with luminous green eyes at his human. A pale, freckled face, half hidden in shadow, looked back at him with concern. "You okay, bud? You seem kind of stressed" Hiccup murmured.

Toothless cooed an apology. *Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up.* Hiccup merely shook his head and sat up in bed. "What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

*No, it's not that* Toothless replied with an affectionate slow blink. *I just can't sleep.*

Hiccup hummed thoughtfully. Toothless had told him that the dragons would often leave their nests and stables to fly and play at night, away from humans. "Do you want to go out and play?" he asked, a bit of a teasing note in his voice. "Big baby boo?"

Toothless grumbled and rolled his eyes at the playful insult. "I don't mind if you do, y'know. Besides, you can fly on your own now."

*Don't want to. Come flying with me.*

"Oh, buddy, I wish I could."

*You can! Your dad forbade you from riding me. If I'm wearing this*, he flicked the auto-tail, *then I'd just be carrying you, so it's okay.*

Hiccup stifled a snigger. "Yeah...I don't think he'd see it that way."

*Since when do you ever do as you're told?* Toothless grumbled. *And he won't see anything, he's asleep.*

Hiccup fought the temptation. "I heard him go out on patrol earlier. It's not that I don't want to...but I've probably pushed my luck enough as it is. If my dad catches me flying with you, he'll probably tie me to a chair" he said jokingly. "...And not trust me on my own ever again."

Toothless sighed. *So we're still grounded. Wonderful.*

"You're not grounded."

*I don't want to fly without you* Toothless insisted. *Look, just go back to sleep. You're tired. Besides, we wouldn't be able to do anything if we did go out.* Then again, given Hiccup's uncanny ability to find and get into trouble even on the ground...he saw his human looking thoughtful and had to suppress a groan.

"We don't have to fly. We could just...I mean, I can understand you guys now. I'd like to, y'know, meet the others properly. Unless...do you guys have a 'no humans allowed' rule, or something?" asked Hiccup.

*No, not really. And you're pretty much an honorary dragon anyway...* Toothless was interrupted when a familiar Zippleback head poked in through the skylight. *Hurry up, Toothless!* hissed Barf. *Aren't you coming?*

"Yes, we are" Hiccup replied before Toothless could. Barf rolled down an eye to peer at him and chittered excitedly. *Hello Hiccup. Belch, say hello to Hiccup*. He withdrew, and the second head poked in the skylight. *Hello Hiccup* Belch said dutifully. Hiccup grinned. "Hi guys."

*Bring Hiccup with you* Belch told Toothless. Barf echoed him. *Yes! Bring Hiccup!*

*I said that!*

*We said that!*

Belch retreated from the skylight to snap and bicker with his twin-head. Toothless rolled his eyes. Hiccup just snickered. He began getting dressed, and Toothless resigned himself to his fate. He clearly wouldn't be able to talk Hiccup out of this. He climbed up and leapt out of the window onto the frosty grass below.

*Where is your saddle?* asked Barf.

*How will Hiccup ride you?* inquired Belch.

Toothless huffed, half frustrated, half resigned. *He can't. His sire forbade him from flying for a moon-turn to punish him for going to Myrkr alone* he explained. Barf&Belch looked at one another, and back at Toothless.

*And he still-*

*Wants to come?* they asked in tandem.

Before Toothless could answer, Hiccup beat him to it. "I sure do." He dropped from the skylight onto Toothless' back and asked, "So what now?"

*Now we go to the far side of the island. Are you sure we can't fly there? It'll be so much quicker, and nobody's around. I bet Stoick isn't even on patrol. You probably just mistook his snores for Skull Crusher taking off* said Toothless. Hiccup sniggered. Then he looked up at the sky...the perfectly clear, temptingly beautiful sky.

He bit his lip. "The other side of the island, did you say? I guess...it wouldn't hurt to make a quick hop...just to wherever we need to go" he relented...trying to make himself sound more reluctant than he actually felt. Toothless warbled happily. *I'm glad you see sense; hold on tight!*

Hiccup wrapped his arms around the dragons neck as Toothless leapt into the air. The ball of guilt in his stomach at disobeying his father again was left behind in that first exquisite downbeat. Toothless followed B&B as they winged towards the forests on the far side of the island, away from the village.

* * *

The two dragons - or was it three? - landed in a clearing in the forest, on the slopes of the mountain. The other dragons were there already, including Selena and Shadow. She perked up - literally - at the sight of them, and bounded over. *Toothless, Hiccup! I'm glad you're here, I didn't think you would come out.*

Shadow's eyes narrowed, suspicious. *You flew here? I thought you said Hiccup wasn't allowed to ride you?* he asked Toothless. On his back, Hiccup cringed sheepishly. Toothless snorted dismissively and replied, *He wasn't riding me. I carried him.*

*How is that different?*

*It just is, okay? Look, it's only bad if his sire finds out, and his sire doesn't need to know. It's not like any of us can tell him* Toothless said confidently.

*I'm surprised, Toothless* rumbled Hookfang, *I didn't think you'd bring Hiccup with you.*

*Why wouldn't I?*

*It's so dangerous out here!* the Fire-Scale whimpered mockingly. *He might get cold and sick and die! Or get a cut that gets diseased and die!*

"Oh come on, I'm not that weak" Hiccup protested, feeling a bit put out. Toothless shook his head. *No, no, he's making fun of me, not you. He's always mocking me for being protective of you; just because he wouldn't know compassion if it bit him in the rump.*

Hookfang hissed at him, clearly insulted. It didn't help that several other dragons laughed, clicking or chattering or hough-hough-hough-ing. *Just ignore him; he likes to pretend he's better than everyone else* Toothless added loftily, nose in the air. Hiccup didn't know whether to laugh or scold him for being arrogant.

Hookfang drew himself up, spreading his wings to look bigger and more imposing. *I am better. I'm a Fire-Scale; a proud, mighty-*

*Selfish git?*

Hookfang's head snapped down to glare right into Toothless' eyes, the two dragons baring their teeth and snarling at each other. *You think you're so special, don't you, Only-Night-Fury-On-Berk? Do you think you're better than me?*

*I kicked your tail when we first met and I can do it again. I _know_ that I'm better than you* Toothless growled back. Hiccup had dismounted, for which he was glad, because his muscles burned with the urge to wrestle Hookfang and put the Fire-Scale in his place..

Hiccup stepped fearlessly between the two, placing a hand on each muzzle and pushing them away from each other. He could barely move them, but he caught them off guard. "You two need to calm down; and you need to stop antagonising him" he said warningly to Toothless. The black dragon growled, protesting. "I mean it, Toothless. Be the bigger dragon here.*

* _I'm_ the bigger dragon.*

"It's a figure of speech." When Toothless and Hookfang had moved away from each other, Hiccup looked up at the Fire-Scale and asked, "Hookfang, are you...jealous, of Toothless?" He looked around at the clustered dragons and again, asked "Are any of you jealous?"

The dragons looked sideways at each other and shifted on their paws and groomed themselves, suddenly very awkward. Finally, Stormfly spoke up. *It's not that we're jealous...it just gets a bit tiresome sometimes, hearing you humans talk about how incredible and unique Toothless is* she explained.

*Please don't be mad* Meatlug pleaded.

"Oh, I'm not mad" Hiccup assured her hastily. "I...I'm sorry. I - we didn't mean to make you guys feel like, well..." he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I guess we did lay it on a bit thick, huh?"

*You were sort of right* Stormfly said fairly, *Toothless was the only dragon like him you'd ever seen.*

*There are lots and lots of Spike-Tails and Rock-Tails and Fire-Scales and Twin-Heads here on this dragon-and-human island* said Barf.

*But there was only one Swift-Wing, until now* Belch finished, bobbing his head at Selena and Shadow.

*Hiccup's sire rides the only Charger on the island, and the two-pawed human rides the only Wing-Sleeper on the island* Barf said thought-fully.

*That's true* his brother-head agreed. *Maybe Hiccup's kin are just good at bonding with only-one dragons*. He paused. *What were we talking about?*

*We were talking about how Hookfang is a selfish git.*

*I am not!* Flames licked briefly across Hookfang's scales. *What makes you think I'm selfish?*

The dragons gave each other very clear 'is he kidding us?' looks. *You have to be talked into doing anything nice for anyone but yourself* Stormfly replied.

*You boast and make fun of the rest of us all the time* said Meatlug.

*You abandon your rider on a whim* added Toothless.

A thought occurred to Hiccup. "Hey, Hookfang?" The sulking Fire-Scale stared down at him. "Do you...not like being ridden?" he asked hesitantly.

Hookfang snorted in disdain. *If I didn't like it, I would have just flown off. I'm not as selfish as you think I am; I'm happy to let humans ride me. I don't know how you ground-walkers get anywhere on those sticks you call legs. Especially you. No offence.*

Hiccup's mouth twisted, half insulted and half amused. "None taken. Okay, it's good that you don't mind being ridden...but, um, why don't you listen to Snotlout much? Actually I might have just answered my own question. I know how Snotlout is, but he does care about you."

Hookfang's gaze softened a bit. *I know that...but Snotlout is a warrior, a survivor, like me. He doesn't need to be followed and watched over like a hatchling* he explained, with a pointed sidelong glance at Toothless. *And I don't abandon him; not when he's in trouble anyway. But I'm not going to do what he says just because he tells me to; especially when he's just showing off for a female.*

Hiccup considered how Snotlout usually instructed Hookfang, and grimaced sympathetically. "Yeah, okay, I see your point. So does that mean you'd listen to him more if he was polite?" he wondered.

*Good luck with that* Toothless snorted. Stormfly and Meatlug chittered and gurgled respectively in agreement. Snotlout's reputation clearly preceded him, and Hiccup had to stifle a laugh. He quickly lost that battle; there was nobody there but the dragons, and heck, Snotlout would waste no time in laughing at him if the situation was the other way around. He shouldn't feel too bad...right?

Toothless gave him an odd look as he giggled. *It wasn't that funny* the black dragon protested, bemused. The other dragons were unconcerned; typical crazy humans. Hiccup caught his breath and grinned apologetically. "Sorry. I shouldn't be...ahem. Err, y'know, maybe I could...talk to Snotlout for you? Get him to treat you with a bit more respect?" he suggested to Hookfang.

The Fire-Scale drew his head back with a snort of surprise. *Would you do that? You know he won't listen* he replied doubtfully. Hiccup shrugged. "I can be pretty persuasive. But look, you'd have to play your part too, okay? If I convince Snotlout to show you more respect, you need to listen to him when he does. Deal?"

He held his hand out. Hookfang peered at it in bemusement, prompting Hiccup to glance down and realise... "I'm trying to shake hands with a dragon. I have officially lost my mind" he deadpanned. He turned his hand so his palm was facing Hookfang's snout, and smiled encouragingly.

*You mean you want me to behave?* Hookfang demanded, hissing incredulously.

*It's only fair* Stormfly insisted, *The rest of us listen to our humans.*

*Sometimes we don't.*

*That's because our humans can't agree on what to tell us to do.*

*Oh, right.*

Hiccup's arm was starting to get tired. "C'mon, Hookfang. You've gotta meet me halfway here - literally. Do we have a deal?" he asked again. He knew dragons understood the idea of 'fair is fair'; paying the deeds done to oneself in kind. A mutual show of respect wasn't too much to ask.

At last Hookfang relented, and pressed his rough muzzle with surprising care against Hiccup's palm. *Alright, little human. Deal. But I'm not going to be a good little kitty cat like Toothless, and if you don't get Snotlout to show me the respect that I, a mighty Fire-Scale, deserve, I'll eat you* he informed Hiccup, baring his fangs.

"Fair enough" Hiccup deadpanned. He knew - or at least he hoped - that Hookfang was only joking. He looked around at the dragons - who had accepted him and his new bond with Toothless so quickly- and smiled. "You guys are amazing. You really are."

*We know* Stormfly chirped, preening. Everyone laughed.

*So what should we do now?* Selena asked eagerly, *What do you guys do for fun around here?*

*Oh, all sorts of things* Stormfly tossed her head, *Play at hunting, race each other, play fire games out on the sea stacks. All the usual stuff.*

*Or we play pranks on the humans* Barf cackled.

*Yeah! Like when we took a bite out of all those boots that horrid old human left piled up in the arena* Belch added...both he and his brother-head froze when they glanced at the human in their midst. Hiccup leaned back against Toothless and raised an eyebrow, smirking at them. They looked at one another and in unison declared *Whoops.*

*What do you want to do, Hiccup?* asked Selena.

He thought about it; he wanted to do something fun, but that wouldn't get him into too much trouble (relatively speaking) if his father came across them. The perfect idea came to him, and he grinned around at the clearing full of dragons, all looking at him curiously. "Anybody up for snow-surfing?"

* * *

*This is demeaning* Shadow complained, as they stood on the ledge overlooking the highest slope of Berk's mountain. Beside him, Selena swatted him with her tail and protested *Lighten up, Shadow! This looks like fun!*

He resisted the urge to snort dismissively at her; she was of a higher rank, even if she didn't entirely act like it. *This is a game for hatchlings!* he protested, waving his tail at the dragons lining up to slide on their bellies across the pristine snow covered slope.

Hiccup looked back up at the rock that Shadow was perched on and said "You don't have to play if you don't want to. Everyone else ready?" he asked the dragons on either side of them, Stormfly and Meatlug on their right, Hookfang and B&B on their left.

*First one to the bottom of the slope wins* said Toothless.

*So not Hookfang then, cos he'll set himself on fire and sink into the

snow again* Barf snickered.

*Hey! That only happened once!* Hookfang protested.

Hiccup laughed. "On three, yeah? One...two...three!"

Five laughing dragons bounded forwards and slid on their stomachs down the slope. Toothless, Selena and Stormfly got the lead, small and streamlined as they were; then Meatlug pulled ahead. Even from the ledge, they could hear the howls of indignation that using her wings to propel herself was cheating.

Shadow shook his head, snorting disdain...only to yelp in surprise as Selena pounced on him from behind and pushed him off the rock. He hit the compacted snow and ice, skidding down the steep slope and flailing for balance, wings and tail askew. Selena skidded past him, wings tucked in, roaring excitedly. *Can't catch me!*

His yelp of surprise turned into a growl - that sounded like a challenge!

Shadow tucked his wings in and raced down the slope determinedly...a small part of him had to admit that this was actually sort of fun.

* * *

Hiccup laughed as they plunged down the mountainside, crouching low astride Toothless' back. Flecks of snow flung by the biting wind stung his face and got in his eyes, his ears thundered with the howl of the wind and the shrieks of racing dragons, his nose and fingers were numb with cold, and his thighs were getting sore.

"YEAH!" He could not have wiped the grin on his face even if he'd wanted to. The icy crust over the snow, combined with the smooth scales of Toothless' underside, meant that they were well in the lead (he had once jokingly asked why Night Furies weren't called 'Smooth-Scales', but they'd just said that most dragons had smooth undersides, so it wasn't really a defining trait).

Out of nowhere, spikes flashed across their path, forcing Toothless to jinx away and slow down. Stormfly slid past them like a large beaked sled, cackling. *Stormfly!* Toothless roared indignantly, angling his body back on course and trying to pull his wings in tighter, to go faster. That was the trouble with snow-surfing – he was at the mercy of the elements, and could not rely on his own impressive speed.

Hiccup tapped his head for attention; he glanced up and saw his rider was pointing at a snow covered rock jutting up of the ground ahead of him. Stormfly would pass it first, and closer. Then Hiccup gave the 'fire' signal. Purring in approval, Toothless charged a blast and aimed it at the rock. The bolt struck true, just as Stormfly was nearing the rock.

She squawked in surprise and jerked away from the sudden explosion, spikes twitching all along her tail. Toothless-Hiccup shot past the charred rock like a huge scaly arrow. They were going to win! But then, of course, it all went wrong.

*AVALANCHE!* roared Hookfang. The dragons scrambled to dig their claws into the snow and spread their wings to fly; Toothless did the same, only to find himself falling back to the ground. "What the-?" Hiccup looked at the tail-fin and realised that it had frozen shut. How had he missed that?

He quickly dismounted and tried to tug the tail-fin open. *There's no time!* Toothless hissed at him, *Let's just run!*

"No! I've almost got it…come on…" Hiccup grit his teeth in frustration, wrestling with the contraption.

*Hiccup!*

At Toothless' urgent roar, Hiccup looked up and saw what seemed lil a wall of white bearing down on them. It was rushing towards them much faster than he liked, and even if he and Toothless did run, there was no way they'd get out of the way in time. He only had moments to decide what to do, but then it was taken out of his hands, as large claws wrapped around him and lifted him bodily from the ground.

Gasping as the wind was knocked out of him, Hiccup could only look down helplessly as the avalanche swept beneath him and right over – "Toothless!" He searched frantically for a sign of his friend, for where he was buried –

*Yes?*

Shocked, Hiccup looked up, and sighed in relief at the welcome, if amusingly undignified, sight of Toothless clutched in Hookfang's claws. "Oh, thank Thor. You're okay! Are you okay?"

*I'm fine. Can you put me down, 'Fang?*

*Sure thing, gummy* Hookfang replied, rumbling _amusement._

Toothless' eyes narrowed. *I will bite you.*

Hookfang and Stormfly dropped Toothless and Hiccup into the snow; the other dragons gathered around them. *You two are insane!* Shadow snarled at them, but the way his ears pinned back and his pupils didn't narrow showed he was worried more than angry. *You could have been killed!*

*Don't be so dramatic* Toothless rolled his eyes. *It was just snow. As if a little avalanche could hurt me* he boasted, raising his jaw proudly. No, he was not preening in front of Selena, he was just…stating the obvious. He _wouldn't_ have been killed. Shadow was overreacting.

*It never got the chance* Hookfang said smugly, before adding *I'm waiting, you know.*

*Oh, right. Thank you, Hookfang. For helping me. I appreciate it.*

*You're welcome. It _was_ a rather impressive feat, wasn't it, snatching you up in the nick of time* the Fire-Scale preened.

"Yeah, thanks guys. You two were great – I mean, wow! I can't believe you pulled that off! I mean, I can. It happened. Obviously. But it was _so_ close – if you had crashed into each other, all four of us would've been buried. Oh man, that would be such a good trick to use in battle or in the next dragon race…" Already his mind was whirling with possibilities.

*It was my idea to do it in the race* explained Stormfly. *We've been practicing together some nights.*

*Competing. She means we've been competing.*

Hiccup blinked, confused. "Wait…practicing with who? Or what?"

*With the sheep, of course* replied Hookfang, as if it were obvious.

*We put them back!* Stormfly added hastily, *We promise!*

Hiccup grinned, too happy to protest. Then Selena asked, *What are sheep? And what's the dragon race? Can we do it?*

*The sheep are those fluffy prey-beasts the humans keep and don't like dragons eating* explained Hookfang.

*And the dragon races are a game we play with our riders. All the humans watch us try to catch the sheep and drop them in a net, and whoever catches the black sheep wins* Stormfly described.

*Sounds fun* Selena crooned happily, *And so was the snow-surfing! At least until the avalanche. Even Shadow was doing it! After I gave him a little nudge, that is* she revealed, playfully batting the drake next to her with her wing.

All eyes turned to Shadow, who pawed at the ground awkwardly. *It was…okay, I admit, it was kind of fun. Not as good as flying, though.*

Selena looked up at the stars and purred loudly. *It's such a beautiful night. Oh! I can see my sire's star from here. Hi dad!* she warbled, shooting a small plasma blast straight up in the air.

Bewildered, Hiccup looked up at the bejewelled sky. "You can see your what?" he asked, confused.

*When a dragon dies, their soul goes beyond the sky. That's what the stars are; the heart-fires of dragons who have come before, and the brightest ones are those of heart bound pairs* Toothless told him. He scanned the sky, then raised his tail and tried to point with the tip of it. *See those two stars just there?*

"Those two?" Hiccup asked, pointing.

*No, that way.*

"…Those two?" he inquired more uncertainly.

*Yes.* Toothless crooned in a melancholy sort of way. *Those are the stars of our parents, mine and Shadows* he explained. First his brother, then he, solemnly fired plasma blasts up into the sky in a fiery acknowledgement. And perhaps it was only Hiccup's imagination, but he could have sworn that the pair of stars twinkled back in return.

"How…do you know which stars are who?" he asked quietly, craning his head back to take in the array of stars spread across the dome of the night sky.

*You just know. You feel it.*

"If the stars are heart-fires, what about the sun?"

*The sun is the heart-fire of the Great Dragon who made the world* revealed Stormfly. *He guards the world by day, and the moon watches over the world by night.*

"Wow…" Hiccup looked up at the stars, too many to count, and wondered… "Can humans be stars?"

Hookfang snorted. *Humans don't have heart-fires* he said.

*But they burn their dead* Meatlug pointed out, *So…maybe?*

"Do you think…my mom's a star up there?" he murmured, trying to find a star that he felt…knew…was her. There were so many of them, and he didn't feel any different. Toothless nuzzled him gently. *I'm sure wherever she is, she's proud of you* he told Hiccup, who smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks, bud. I'm sure your dam is proud of you, too."

Selena gave a happy, amused trill. *When I was a hatchling, I thought the stars were fireflies, that got stuck up there* she revealed. They all chuckled at that. Feeling more confident, Hiccup decided to share one of his own people's legends. "Us Vikings, our sagas say that the spirits of the sun, Sól, and the moon, Máni, are being chased across the sky every day and night by wolves called Hati and Skoll."

*Wolves can't fly* Shadow protested dubiously.

"Well, they could if they were magic wolves" Hiccup shrugged.

*What if we're all wrong?* Barf wondered out of nowhere.

*What if the stars are really huge, huge balls of burning gas?* suggested Belch.

*And they only look tiny because they're so, so, so far away?*

The other dragons all clicked or grunted _disdain,_ rolling their eyes. *You Twin-Heads think _everything_ is about gas* Hookfang scoffed. *Now, I'm wondering, should we hide?*

"You want to play hide and seek?"

*No, it's just that Skull Crusher is flying this way and your sire is riding him* Hookfang explained casually, gesturing with his snout.

" _What?!_ " Hiccup yelped. Sure enough, he saw Skull Crusher and his father silhouetted against the stars. "No, no, no! He must have seen – you guys have gotta distract them! Toothless and I have to get home before dad does!"

* * *

The tail-fin was still stuck, but perhaps that was for the best; the sight of _three_ Night Furies in the sky would have made his father more than just a bit suspicious. Toothless' claws tore up dirt as he bounded home, Hiccup on his shoulders, black scales and his riders' dark clothes camouflaging them amongst the shadows.

They scrambled up to the roof and through the skylight into Hiccup's room. He dismounted and dove into bed, throwing the blanket over his head. Toothless curled up on his sleeping stone, not bothering to heat it back up. Their hearts were hammering like fast-beating wings.

After what felt like ages, they heard the door creak open, still feigning sleep. Stoick looked in on them, seeing Hiccup in his bed and Toothless on his slab. "Hmm. I guess it was just those other two Furies. Honestly, what dragon won't follow that boy home?" he shook his head as he closed the door behind him.

He didn't see Hiccup and Toothless peek at each other, their eyes glittering with suppressed mirth and the excitement that came with breaking rules and getting away with it.

Hiccup closed his eyes and tried to get to sleep. It wasn't long, though, before he heard a soft croon and a tentative *Hiccup? Are you still awake?* He opened his eyes and found Toothless' only inches from his own, muzzle resting on the edge of the bed.

"Can't you sleep?" he whispered.

*No. I mean, yes. I mean…* He huffed at himself and tried to explain. *Just before, when we were talking about the stars…it got me thinking.*

"About your parents?"

*Them, and…I'm really glad we're heart bound.*

Hiccup blinked, and then smiled. "I'm glad we're heart bound as well."

Toothless still looked uneasy. *You don't know why I'm glad.*

"Why?"

His other half's eyes were big and vulnerable, and Hiccup's heart ached. He reached out. "C'mon, hey. Talk to me."

Leaning into the touch, Toothless closed his eyes and said *I don't like what-ifs, and now that we're heart bound, the what-if I dread the most will never be an 'is'.* He opened his eyes and met Hiccup's eyes, who looked at him questioningly. *You dying before me.*

Hiccup's breath caught in his throat, but Toothless wasn't finished. *Every time* he whined, *Every time I almost lost you, I'd have nightmares. Whenever you were kidnapped. That time under the ocean. All the times I wasn't there, thinking what if I didn't reach you in time? What if I wasn't smart enough, or strong enough...* He was whimpering now, at the thought of it.

Petting him soothingly, Hiccup murmured, *Whenever you were taken away from me. The blue oleander, the dragon-root arrow. I had nightmares too. I know, bud. I know. But now…I'll always be with you. I'll fight tooth and nail to stay by your side."

*So will I* Toothless promised, before blinking. *Wait. Is 'tooth and nail' your human way of saying 'fang and claw'? That's adorable* he said, purring _amusement._

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He yawned. "Think you can get to sleep now?"

The dragon purred and licked his cheek. *Goodnight, Hiccup.*

"Night, Toothless. Sweet dreams…"

* * *

The next morning, when he woke up, Hiccup didn't feel so good. His head was throbbing, his throat felt dry, and his nose… "Ugh" he groaned, sitting up and sniffling. Toothless crooned _concern_ from his slab and asked, *Are you alright?*

"I'm f-f-f" – a tickle in his nose had him sneezing a rather disgusting amount of snot onto his blanket. Eww. "…I might have a cold."

It finally occurred to him that maybe going out in the middle of the night to play in the snow hadn't been such a great idea after all.


	4. Two Sides

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: The idea of the dragons training humans in the kill ring is borrowed from Fizzlemcschnizzle's excellent story 'Hookfang's Tale'. This takes place before the events of 'Dragon Soul', not long after 'One of Us'.

I'm not actually all that happy with this chapter, but I still felt the need to write it. Just a little something to tide you guys over ;)

Two Sides

If there was one major benefit to being heart bound, understanding dragons would definitely be a top contender. The only real downside was that old habits died hard, and the dragons tended to talk over their riders.

This meant that Hiccup was trying to get used to sometimes hearing two conversations at once; or rather, hearing human conversations, and 'seeing' the dragon's thought-speak in his mind's eye. It was like having someone else's thoughts imposed in his own head, and was a decidedly bizarre experience.

He and his friends were gathered in the training ring, but for some reason, Ruff and Tuff had come in arguing fervently over…Odin knew what. Yet only Hiccup knew that Barf&Belch were bickering as well, trading insults back and forth.

"Ugly son of a troll!"

*Rotten egg for brains!*

"Hideous she-hag!"

*Putrid breath!*

"Mutton-headed snivelling wretch!"

*Snaggle-toothed snake!*

"Foul haired devil spawn!"

*Hatchling of a worm!*

"SHUT UP!" Astrid yelled at the top of her lungs. The twins and their dragon all stopped and stared at her. She breathed hard for a few moments and then demanded, "What in the name of all the gods are you two idiots arguing over _this_ time?"

Ruff and Tuff looked at her as if they genuinely had no idea what she was talking about. Then again, that was sort of typical for them. "We're not arguing" Ruffnut answered, as if it were obvious.

"Yeah, we were just having an insult competition" Tuffnut shrugged. He looked over at Snotlout and asked, "So who won? It was me, right? I totally had better insults than her" he said dismissively, sneering at his sister, who scowled at him.

Thinking quickly, she turned to their reluctant judge and said "Hey, Snotlout, if you make me the winner, I'll…let you hold my hand later." He'd been trying to court her lately…probably because with Astrid taken and Heather being on Berserker Island, he wasn't exactly spoiled for choice. Ruffnut wasn't exactly keen…she had her heart set on some muscled hunk, and it felt weird since she'd known Snotlout for years and he'd never shown the slightest bit of interest in her before now. Still, maybe she could use it to her advantage.

Sure enough, Snotlout immediately declared "Ruffnut wins!" Thus prompting Tuffnut to complain about fairness and impartiality and "I told you we should have had Hiccup judge it!"

Everyone rolled their eyes. Toothless looked up at the Twin-Head and remarked, *I can't believe you were insulting each other just because your riders were.*

Barf&Belch looked at each other, and then down at Toothless. *If Hiccup jumped off a cliff* Barf began.

*Wouldn't you jump off too?* finished Belch.

*I'd have to, to rescue him!*

*Don't tell us not to* -

*-Copy our riders then.*

"Can you two focus?" Astrid demanded of the twins. "Hiccup called us out here for a reason."

"Uh, two questions" Snotlout drawled, "One, why are we still training? It's been five years, I'm pretty sure we've got the dragon riding thing down pat. Two, what's the point of you even being here?" he asked Hiccup, "You're grounded. What's the point of dragon training when you can't fly your dragon?"

"Well to answer your questions, Snotlout, we're not training, and I'm not flying. See, my dad wants to know exactly how many dragons are on Berk, so I…volunteered us to take a census" Hiccup told them. Everyone except Fishlegs groaned. "Oh, don't be like that. Look, to make it easier, you just have to count the kind of dragon you ride. So, Snotlout, you count the Nightmares, Astrid is on Nadders, Fishlegs counts the Gronckles and the twins count the Zipplebacks. Then we just have to add all the tallies up. Simple."

His friends did not look impressed. "Your census will be easy" Ruffnut scoffed, "seeing as the Night Fury tally is a grand total of _one_."

"What about those two Furies who followed him back from Myrkr?"

"That's much better, Fishface, now the tally is up to three."

"Guys, please! I've already counted all your dragons, Skull Crusher, Grump and Toothless; Selena and Shadow don't count, cos they don't really live here, they're just visiting" explained Hiccup.

"So which dragon breed _are_ you going to count, oh glorious leader?"

"I'll count the Terrors."

Snotlout smirked. "Wow. Sucks to be you – I wouldn't wanna try and do a tally of Terrible Terrors on foot. Especially since, you know…" He pointed at Hiccup's prosthetic and mimed limping. Hiccup rolled his eyes, used to the insensitivity.

"Y'know, it's funny you should mention that. I was thinking, we haven't done one of Astrid's 'independent survival' sessions for a while…" he said thoughtfully. The others – except Astrid this time – looked horrified. "This would be a good chance to practise dealing with wilder dragons when our own aren't around to defend us. Like you said, Snotlout, we're all capable – with or without our dragons."

Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins all groaned. " _Two of us_ are capable without our dragons" Snotlout corrected, "and who is gonna make sure they don't follow us? We all know Toothless isn't gonna stay put. Hang on…I bet _you_ want to keep an eye on them, mister 'grounded for a month.' You're just trying to get out of doing the census!" he accused Hiccup.

"I'm not!" Hiccup protested quickly. "But like you said, it isn't really fair if I'm walking and you guys get to ride."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

Fishlegs grimaced. "Doing a dragon census on foot is gonna take forever" he complained. "Can't they just come to keep us company? We promise not to ride them" he added hopefully.

Astrid watched Hiccup squirm, but before he could cave and agree to let the dragons come along, she stepped in. "We know you wouldn't ride Meatlug, but the same can't be said for some of us" she said, looking pointedly at the twins. "As for how we get them to stay, we can just put them in their pens for a while. Toothless can share with Stormfly" she suggested.

"Or, y'know, we could just tell them to stay here" Hiccup said hastily. "They're all well trained, after all."

"Hookfang isn't."

"Shut up, Tuffnut!"

Fishlegs looked puzzled. "I don't remember teaching our dragons a 'stay' command" he remarked, scratching his head.

"Well, we can teach them now. Here, I'll go first. Toothless?" He waited until he had the dragon's attention, and said firmly, "Wait", along with a hand signal just to make it look authentic. Then he turned and walked away.

"He's following you."

Hiccup looked back to see that Toothless was indeed padding after him. "No, Toothless, _wait_ " he insisted. Then he tried again, but…

"Still following."

He gave Toothless an annoyed look. _Come on, bud, play along._ Toothless purred _amusement_ at him. *Say the magic word* he advised.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Hiccup tried one more time. "Toothless, wait, please." This time, the dragon obediently sat down and didn't follow Hiccup even when he walked right out of the arena.

*Good human* he teased when Hiccup came back, *Learning to say 'please'.*

The other dragons played the same trick, refusing to obey the command until their riders said 'please'. Fishlegs and Astrid caught on first, then the twins. Snotlout was the most stubborn, but when Hookfang flattened him with his tail, he gave in and said the magic word. "I'll see you soon, bud" Hiccup told Toothless, as he and the others left the arena.

* * *

Not long after they'd gone, Stormfly called out *You can come out!*

Selena and Shadow appeared at the edge of the arena and jumped down into it. *So this is where your riders train you?* Selena asked, sniffing around curiously.

*Or to put it another way, it's where we train our riders* Hookfang replied.

Shadow yawned. *Where is Hiccup? I thought he'd be here* he remarked.

*He'll be back* Toothless said confidently. Sure enough, it wasn't long before Hiccup slipped back into the arena, looking over his shoulder even as he walked down the slope into the pit. *Did anyone follow you?* asked Toothless.

"I don't think so. I feel kind of bad about ditching them like this" he admitted, squirming uncomfortably. He had already counted the Biters – it was just a matter of going to each cluster (1) and counting all the individuals, then adding them all up. He wanted to hang out with the dragons, but he wouldn't be able to during the day unless he went behind his friend's backs.

That didn't mean he wanted to, but Toothless stubbornly refused to let him out in the middle of the night again after he'd gotten sick. The dragon had become even more over-protective now that they were heart bound.

*So what do we do now?* asked Hookfang.

Hiccup shrugged. "I figured we could just chat, eat…play 'chase the light spot'…" He tilted a shield to reflect the sunlight off the iron boss in the centre. He tilted it back and forth, making the blob of reflected light wiggle invitingly.

Shadow gave a dismissive snort. *Chasing things that can't be caught is a hatchling's game. We're all full grown, we're not going to do something as silly as try to pounce on something that isn't there* he insisted.

Hiccup jerked the shield, making the light spot dart away – and Toothless lunged after it. "So much for full-grown" Hiccup teased, sniggering.

*Really, Toothless?*

*And you wonder why I call you a cat?*

Toothless' eyes narrowed. *So what if I like chasing the spot? Besides, you said snow surfing was a game for hatchlings and you had fun with that…don't judge me* he grumbled. Then he licked Hiccup repeatedly, to get revenge for the teasing. Hiccup spluttered and tried to fend him off with the shield and finally gave in, exclaiming "Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

Selena was still exploring the arena, prowling around the perimeter. *What are all these big cages for?* she asked, sniffing at the metal bars covering one of the pens. Shadow tensed, whole body screaming _wary._

*I thought you said the humans here didn't trap dragons* he growled uneasily.

"We don't! We just…used to" Hiccup admitted, squirming uncomfortably again.

Toothless reminded his brother, *We did tell you that Hiccup's people used to be at war with the dragons here. This used to be where the young Vikings would train to fight the dragons that were raiding back then* he explained.

*That's not right!* Barf protested.

*It's where we trained humans to fight us!* Belch continued.

Selena cocked her head to the side. *Isn't that what Toothless said?*

*Yes!*

*No!*

The Twin-Head began bickering with himself (themselves?); Stormfly rolled her eyes and shook herself, rattling her spikes. *You're both right. The humans trained their fledglings to fight us, and we were doing the same. Apart from Toothless, all of us were trapped here, before Hiccup and his friends rode us into battle against _Her_.* She and the other Berk dragons flinched reflexively.

Hiccup flinched a bit as well, but for a very different reason. He didn't like to think about how his friends dragons – his _friends_ – had once been prisoners here. How they had been condemned to death. Back then, the village had been struggling enough without having imprisoned dragons to feed, and back then the dragons had been all but starved. One by one, they'd all have been slain – either by the 'students', or by the chief himself.

"I'm sorry" he heard himself saying. He looked around at his dragon friends and apologised, "I'm really sorry. What we did to you was wrong, and someone should apologise for that. Especially to you, Hookfang. I never wanted to kill you" he promised, reaching up to the Fire-Scale.

Hookfang rumbled indulgently, and pressed his snout against Hiccup's palm. *I didn't really want to kill you either. Well, maybe a little bit, but not since.*

"Thanks for summing that up" Hiccup snarked. His curiosity got the better of him, and he inquired "What do you guys mean, you were training us? I mean, we were…really mean to you." _That's an understatement._ "I'm kinda surprised you didn't just burn us all to crisps – uh, but I'm glad you didn't, obviously."

Meatlug crooned _worry-concern,_ asking *Did you really think we would hurt fledglings? Maybe if we were mindless, but we weren't. Didn't you notice how we were careful to never really hurt you?*

Hiccup thought about it, and realised she was right. The dragons could have killed him and his friends easily, but they had held back, always firing at the shields, roaring at the trainees to intimidate them instead of using brute force. Hookfang laughed, a rasping in his throat. *It's about time you caught on! Meatlug told us what you did the first time she faced you. Meatlug, spew!*

The Rock-Tail just stared at him, growling, until Hookfang added * _Please_.* Then she obligingly spat a globule of magma onto the ground a few feet away.

*See how quickly she did that?* Hookfang asked Hiccup, before saying *Okay 'Lug, now do what you did back in the ring that day.*

Meatlug rolled her eyes, and began to gather another blast. Her maw glowed, and glowed…finally the penny dropped. "Hey, no fair! I was cornered, and scared!" Hiccup protested, realising what they were getting at. "People freeze up when they're scared, it's a perfectly natural reaction!"

*I suppose* Hookfang mused, *That must be why rabbits in the forest go so still when I corner them, right before I eat them. It's very amusing. Rather stupid, though, if you ask me.*

Meatlug rumbled an apology, trotting over to nuzzle Hiccup. *I'm sorry about that. I thought you were just going to duck or something. I didn't realise you really couldn't move* she explained. He petted her and assured her, "No hard feelings. Huh…now that I think about it, of course you guys weren't under the Red Death's control; but why? Was it just because you were knocked out, like Toothless was?"

Stormfly explained, *Queens and Alphas can command their subjects, but only over a range, and it only goes so far. When _She_ commanded us to raid, she somehow spread her range out even further. Then she pulled us back when she couldn't do that anymore. Any dragons who were downed on the islands we raided were left behind and freed from her mind-snare; not that it did them much good, of course.*

*The more we fed the Fire-Giant, the stronger her Will became* declared Belch.

*The stronger her Will became, the further she could reach it* continued Barf.

*The further she could reach it, the more she could make us feed her.*

*The more we fed her, the stronger her Will became.*

*The stronger her Will became* -

"Yes, yes, you said that bit already" Hiccup said hastily. Then he admitted, "I still don't get it. If you guys were in your right minds, and you didn't want to hurt us…why didn't you just, y'know, not fight?" he wondered.

Of all the reactions he could have gotten, laughter wasn't one of them. *You say that like we had a choice!* Stormfly exclaimed, chattering with mirth, *You poor, sweet little human. You all had axes and spears and other sharp, stabby things. What were we supposed to do; stand there and let you attack us? Hide in our pens and refuse to come out?*

"Uh…"

*Those lessons were the only time we could get out of our cages* she continued, *So we played along. We didn't think we had much choice.*

It made sense, and it made Hiccup shrivel inside. Back then they'd all thought dragons were nothing but mindless beasts; the Vikings wouldn't have noticed if the dragons had tried to prove they were just as aware as humans. Stormfly scented his shame and snuffled his hair. *I'm sorry, Hiccup. I didn't mean to make you feel bad* she chirped.

He scratched under her chin and replied, "Don't worry about it. I still don't…if you couldn't show us you weren't monsters, then what _were_ you training us to do? You said to fight you, but why? And how?"

*Did we say fight?*

*We meant kill.*

*What?!* Shadow all but shrieked. *Is every dragon on this island _crazy?_ Why would you want to be killed?*

*We didn't want to be, but it was-*

*-The only way we could defeat _Her._ Isn't it obvious?*

Selena admitted, *Not really. You're talking about your old Queen, right? How would you getting killed help defeat her?* she asked, puzzled.

*It wouldn't* Hookfang said bluntly, *but we were all doomed anyway, so deciding that our deaths would somehow be useful made us feel better.*

Stormfly swatted at him with her wing. *Really, 'Fang?* she croaked indignantly, before turning to Hiccup, Selena and Shadow. *See, after we'd gotten to grips with, you know, realising our whole lives up to that moment was a lie…and being captured…Nipper told us we had to stop _Her_.*

"Who's Nipper?" Hiccup couldn't help but ask.

*I am!* a higher pitched voice squeaked imperiously. It was coming from the top of Barf's head – he rolled his eyes up to try and peer at the Biter perched there. *I am Nipper* the tiny dragon declared once more, puffing his chest out with self-importance. Then Belch knocked him off his perch, and he flew around their heads, shrieking. The Twin-Head snapped at him.

"Guys, don't!" Hiccup exclaimed, raising his hands. Nipper dived down and landed on one. "C'mon, he's smaller than you. Don't be mean" he scolded B&B. Now that he had a better look at Nipper, he realised "Hey, you look like my friend Sharpshot."

*We're twins* Nipper chirped by way of explanation.

"Nice to meet you. Oh, wait, I know you! You're the Terror my friends and I had to fight when…err…sorry about that" Hiccup said sheepishly, "Please don't bite my nose."

*From what he told us, you never really fought him* remarked Meatlug, gurgling _amusement._ *You just distracted him and sent him back into his cage.*

"Yeah…sorry. But uh, Nipper, these guys were saying you told them they had to help defeat the Queen. What's all that about?" Hiccup asked curiously.

Nipper explained, *Us Biters free. Never caught by _Her._ Too small. Too small to get food. Too small to be threats! Tried and tried and tried to get big dragons to stop, but never could. Too small!* He roared a bit and flapped his wings.

"Oh…the Red Death never controlled you guys" Hiccup realised. "That explains why Toothless and I saw a cluster after our first successful flight – I think it was your cluster, actually, I'm sure the Terror – um, Biter – we saw was Sharpshot. Um, sorry, I'm rambling. Go on" he prompted.

Nipper licked his eyeball, but before he could continue, Hookfang groaned *Just let us tell you. If you let him tell you, it will take all day.*

The miniature dragon growled at the Fire-Scale…but the growls soon became purrs, as Hiccup scratched him under the chin. He cradled the Biter against his chest with one arm; Nipper wriggled onto his back so Hiccup could scratch his stomach. The young man met Hookfang's bulbous yellow eyes and challenged, "Well, go on then."

Hookfang snorted at him. *Nipper was here before any of us* he explained. *He told us you Vikings had put us here to teach their fledglings how to fight and kill our kinds. The only way to stop _Her_ was to make her starve, he said, and the only way to make her starve was if the dragons she forced to raid were all dead. We had to help you fledglings learn how to fight us, so you would grow up and kill dragons and starve the Queen.*

Everyone stared at him. Finally, Shadow announced *That is the most insane thing I have ever heard.*

B&B retorted *Like you could* -

*Do better!*

He rounded on them and snarled *Of course I can! How long were you trying to starve this Queen of yours? It clearly wasn't working. Do you know what would have worked? Killing the humans. If you had killed them, then your pack would have had no one to raid, no food to give your Queen. It would have worked a lot more quickly* Shadow declared firmly.

Then he looked around, and realised a lot of them were glaring at him. Feeling cornered, he hissed and drew his shoulders up defensively. *What? I'm just saying…* Shadow trailed off when he remembered Hiccup was _right there,_ and he had just suggested these dragons the human called friends should have killed him and his pack. Suddenly, the Swift-Wing felt like a worm. *Sorry, Hiccup* he grunted, ear-flaps lowering contritely. *I shouldn't have said that.*

*No, you shouldn't have* Toothless glared at him. *It wouldn't have worked anyway. Think about it – she could have still made us catch fish, and the sheep we used to steal would have just kept breeding without the humans there. If all the humans had left, it wouldn't have changed anything. I much prefer the way we actually defeated her* he crooned, nuzzling Hiccup.

His other half smiled and nuzzled him back. "It's okay, Shadow" he told the Fury who was now fidgeting and refusing to meet anyone's eyes. "I can see why you'd…well, the important thing is that all that's over now. It's funny, back then we didn't expect my dad to actually let us use this place. I bet Mildew was livid."

*Who or what is Mildew?* asked Selena.

The dragons from Berk all made various noises of disgust or disdain. "Mildew was this horrible old guy who used to live here on Berk. He _hated_ the dragons and he tried everything he could to get rid of them."

*He made Hiccup's sire tell him and his friends to lock us all up* Meatlug crooned sadly.

*He made them abandon us all on Dragon Island* Stormfly revealed, ruffling her spikes indignantly.

*He planted the blue-death flower all over this nest, so we all got sick!* Hookfang snarled, flaming up. *If Hiccup hadn't gotten the Steam-Spitter venom to cure us, we would have died!*

Toothless gave a low growl. *He made the other humans think I was angering their gods, so they tried to banish me.* Hiccup stroked him reassuringly – to reassure them both. The memory of his best friend being chained up – _again –_ and dragged away from him was one he'd not soon forget. He remembered how Toothless had given the entire village the cold shoulder (2), even when they brought tons of apology fish, until he'd convinced his dad to have that awful trap/harness destroyed.

*He sounds awful!* Selena crooned sympathetically.

*He sure does. I don't get it; if this old human was so horrible, why did any of your pack listen to him?* Shadow asked Hiccup.

Before he could answer, Hookfang squawked *Because they're insane! My sire always said humans are crazy. They get so much wrong. They don't just bare their teeth to show they're happy instead of angry, they treat the offspring of their Alpha like the omega and listen more to the human who should be lowest on the pecking order. It's all the wrong way round! Why don't we all be the wrong thing? Look at me, everyone! I'm a bird!* He cawed like a crow, and Hiccup burst out giggling.

When he'd caught his breath, Hiccup admitted, "I guess it doesn't really make sense, does it? It's just…I mean, nobody actually _liked_ Mildew. He just had a way of riling the villagers up. They shouldn't have scapegoated you guys, but my dad…he has to do what he feels is best for the village. He's the chief – the alpha – first, and my dad second. It's always been like that.

"As for me…they did care, in their own way. I kept screwing things up. Not on purpose, obviously, but you can't really blame them for thinking I was…useless" he sighed, idly scratching the little Biter in his arms. Nipper had fallen asleep and was snoring.

Toothless nuzzled and licked him. * _We_ don't think you're useless.*

*You made this place a lot more bearable when we were fighting here* Stormfly told him kindly.

Meatlug purred *You were the first human to ever be kind to us. And you gave us dragon nip…* She rumbled _contentment_ at the mere thought.

*And we're over-*

*-the eel thing.*

Hiccup beamed at them all. "Thanks, guys. Oh, I wish the others could hear you. All this time…think of what we could do, if we could talk to you all the time!"

*I think we've done a pretty good job so far* remarked Toothless. *So, do you think you'll tell them?* he asked.

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and shrugged. "I dunno…I'll tell my dad, and Astrid, and maybe Gobber…I don't know about the others. I just…don't think I can tell them about the heart bind yet. I don't know how" he confessed. As if conversations with his father weren't awkward enough. _Hey dad, funny story, whilst we were in Myrkr this guy stabbed me and Toothless bound our life forces together so I'll live as long as he does and Night Furies live for about three hundred years so yeah…_

*There's no rush. You can tell them when you're ready* Toothless assured him.

Ever curious, Selena asked *Does Steam-Spitter venom _really_ cure the blue-death flower sickness? We should tell Ekeren that when we go home. What do humans call Steam-Spitters, Hiccup?*

"We call them Scauldrons. And yeah, their venom can be used as an antidote, but for it to work you have to make anti-venom, and that would be kind of tricky for you guys (3). We, uh, usually use a sheep, but…" He trailed off awkwardly.

*But what?* Selena prompted. They were all looking at him curiously.

Hiccup grimaced. "Yeah, you guys really aren't gonna like this…Gobber kinda got the anti-venom…out of Mildew's butt" he winced.

The dragons stared at him. There was a pregnant pause. Then Hookfang demanded *Are you telling us we drank a cure that came out of that awful human's backside?*

Hiccup cringed. "Um…yes?"

That did it – all the dragons except for Selena and Shadow started gagging and dry heaving. Even the two Night Furies looked disgusted. Hiccup, on the other hand, was struggling not to laugh at the sight. "If it makes you guys feel any better, it wasn't exactly a fun experience for him either."

Toothless flopped his tongue as if trying to dry it out. *Hiccup, next time we get sick, please don't tell us where you've gotten the cure from* he begged.

"Sorry."

* * *

Once the disgust had worn off a little, and they'd cleaned up the mess (or rather, slurped what they'd hacked up back into their mouths, which grossed Hiccup out), Stormfly remarked *If you ask me, we should also blame Trader Johann. Isn't he the one who _gave_ Mildew the blue-death flower?"

 _She's right,_ Hiccup realised. Selena inquired, *Who's Trader Johann? That's a funny name, Trader.*

*It's not a name, it's a job* Toothless explained. *Johann is the trader who told us about there maybe being Night Furies in Myrkr. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have found you all.*

*But like Storm says, if it weren't for him, the blue-death flower wouldn't have been growing here* Hookfang retorted.

*And isn't he the one who bought that nest full of fledgling Smoke-Skins (4) to our island?* Meatlug wondered, *Just before those other humans attacked?*

"Yeah…he did" said Hiccup, brow furrowed. Now that he thought about it, Johann had caused them a lot of trouble over the years. Not warning them about the Smokebreaths at Breakneck Bog or the eels in the ship graveyard. Sending them away from Dragon's Edge just in time for the dragon hunters and then flyers to invade. Making them lose the Dragon Eye lense belonging to Heather. Convincing him to go to the Northern Markets, where he'd encountered Krogan. Always turning up at just the right – or wrong – time.

Toothless crooned _worry,_ seeing Hiccup's face darken. *What's wrong?*

"I hate to say it…" Hiccup took a deep breath and declared, "but I think Johann is a traitor. Every time he turned up, things went wrong; and at the time I thought it was just bad luck or bad timing or Johann being Johann, but now…now I think he's been playing us for fools this whole time. How did I not see this earlier?" he exclaimed in frustration, throwing his arms up.

The sudden jolt woke up Nipper, who shrieked loudly in indignant surprise. Hiccup flinched at the loud noise right next to his ear and winced, "Sorry, little guy." Nipper lived up to his name, giving Hiccup a peck on the ear – but light enough to leave no mark – before flying off to get up to mischief elsewhere. Hiccup was still having a bit of trouble believing that Nipper had somehow convinced the others to 'sacrifice themselves for the greater good' as it were.

*I knew it!* Hookfang crowed, puffing his chest out. *My rider and I knew there was something off about that human this whole time. We never liked him.*

Stormfly rolled her eyes. *If your rider knew, why didn't he say anything?*

"He did" said Hiccup, "Snotlout _did_ keep saying Johann was no good. We just…I guess we all thought he was just complaining, we didn't think – I mean, Johann was annoying sometimes but he wasn't – my dad always trusted him. Oh, dad is gonna be _livid_ when I tell him" he grimaced. His father's rage wasn't something he liked to see, even when it wasn't directed at him. "I really hope I'm wrong about this…but I have a horrible feeling I'm not."

*What will happen to him if you are right?* Meatlug asked him.

Hiccup paused. "I…I'm not sure. Normally if someone is a traitor my dad would just exile them, but Johann doesn't live here." Well, he did have an idea of what would happen should Johann be discovered to be a traitor…but he'd rather not think about that. He didn't like to think of his dad going to such lengths.

"Sorry, guys. I guess I kinda brought down the mood, huh?" he said apologetically. The dragons assured him it was fine. Bored of talking, they played tug of war with ropes and fetch with sticks, and wrestled each other, and then Nipper came back with his brother Sharpshot and their cluster, which lived up to its name as they all swarmed around Hiccup and clamoured to be petted.

Hiccup was thoroughly enjoying himself, and he'd all but forgotten about the others until Toothless pricked his ear-flaps up, and then nudged at his rider urgently. *Hiccup, you've got to hide!* Stormfly hissed urgently, nostrils flaring. *Your friends are coming back!*

He stood on her back, but he still couldn't reach the edge of the pit. Selena leapt up and grabbed Hiccup's stretching arm in her mouth, fangs retracted of course, and hauled him up. "Thanks, Selena" he said gratefully. She and Shadow fled; Hiccup ran to hide behind some rocks, just in time. Snotlout went past; he knew it was Snotlout, because he could hear the man muttering to himself about "…stupid census…stupid wild Monstrous Nightmares…ow…stupid Hiccup…"

When he thought the coast was clear, Hiccup left his hiding place and ran the long way around to the entrance of the training ring. When he got there, the others were all waiting beside their dragons. Snotlout looked a bit charred, as did the twins, Fishlegs looked out of breath…only Astrid seemed unfazed. Panting, Hiccup leaned against the wall and admitted, "Okay, maybe leaving the dragons behind wasn't such a great idea…"

"Ya think?" Snotlout grumbled. "C'mon, Hooky, let's ditch these guys" he said, climbing into the saddle. Hookfang was in a generous mood, so he obligingly leapt into the air and circled the arena, as Snotlout yelled "Snotfang! Snotfang! Oi, oi, oi!"

The twins quickly followed suit, off to get up to mischief. Fishlegs and Astrid hesitated, but Hiccup told them to go on and fly. Still, as he watched them go, he couldn't help but feel a bit sad. That was until Toothless licked him and playfully tossed Hiccup onto his back, running with him back to the village.

* * *

Not long after his father learned of the heart bind, Hiccup told Stoick what he suspected about Trader Johann. Predictably, his dad was furious at the thought of betrayal, and gave an angry rant interspersed with plenty of choke-miming and invisible hammer or axe smashing. When he calmed down, though, he agreed they ought to question Johann when the trader next returned to Berk.

So the following summer, when Johann's vessel docked on Berk, the man found himself not being greeted by an eager crowd, but escorted to the Great Hall by Gobber. When they got there, Stoick, Hiccup and the other riders were waiting for them. Johann looked bewildered, and a little nervous.

"Ah…is something wrong? I'm used to a, ah, warmer reception…oh, master Hiccup! It's so good to see you alive and well" he smiled broadly. He sounded genuinely relieved, and Hiccup felt doubt niggling at him.

"Trader Johann" Stoick boomed, "do you swear to answer all our questions honestly and to the point?" he questioned, putting just the slightest stress on the last three words. Johann visibly gulped, and nodded.

"On my honour, Stoick, I'll do my best."

"Very well. We have reason to believe that you have been working against the best interests of Berk, based on several instances of…how was it you put it, Snotlout?"

"Making things a million times worse."

"Aye. What do you have to say in your defence, Johann?"

All eyes turned to the middle-aged trader, who spluttered in absolute bewilderment. "I…I don't know…when did I…?"

"Shall I read out the list?" offered Gobber. Before anyone could stop him, he'd unrolled a scroll and began reading the contents aloud. "Let's see here – selling Mildew blue oleander which then poisoned the dragons, sending Hiccup and his friends on a dangerous mission to Breakneck Bog without warning them about the Smothering Smokebreaths," –

"Just wait a" –

"Making Hiccup rescue you when Speed Stingers attacked Berk" –

"Now see here!" –

"Not telling the riders about the giant eels in the ship graveyard, not warning Heather that Dagur wouldn't be alone, luring several riders including Hiccup away from Dragon's Edge with a distress call" –

"Just let me" –

"Sending Hiccup and Astrid away from the Edge before it was attacked by Dragon Flyers" –

"I had to!" Johann burst out at the top of his lungs; then he clamped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide. Everyone stared at him.

At last, someone spoke. "What do you mean, you _had_ to?" Astrid demanded, rather suspiciously. Snotlout was outright glaring at Johann, who cringed and wrung his hands nervously, looking distraught. The doubts crept back into Hiccup's mind. Johann could go over the top at times – well, most times- but was he really that good an actor?

"Oh dear, oh dear. Oh, I knew it wouldn't last, I knew it, oh Johann, you old fool..." he muttered to himself.

Snotlout cried impatiently, "Just answer the question! What do you mean, you _had_ to lure Hiccup and Astrid away when we needed them?"

His demanding, impetuous tone seemed to annoy Johann enough for the man to pull himself together. "I mean exactly what I said, master Snotlout. I _had_ to do it, all of it. If I hadn't, you'd have all died" he explained. Nobody said anything, but it was clear from their expressions that they weren't buying it, and expected him to have a damn good explanation.

Johann looked down in shame. "I should have told you sooner" he confessed, "I know that. Blame it on an old man's cowardice. The truth is, when Berk made peace with dragons, and the raids stopped, the archipelago came under the attention of undesirable sorts, including your old enemy, Krogan. They intercepted me on the way to Berk the next year, just before the Straits of Baldur, and forced me to join them as an – an unwilling accomplice. They said if I didn't co-operate, they wouldn't just kill me, they'd kill all of you."

Tuffnut looked at the others and asked blithely, "Err, he does know we have _dragons,_ right?"

Johann frowned. "Yes, I know that, master Tuffnut; but these weren't the loud, bulky crossbow wielding thugs that the likes of the Grimborns hired. They were _assassins._ They would have waited until you were alone, and then it would have only taken two arrows – one to take out your dragons, and one to take out each of you. None of you would've seen it coming" he declared.

"Pfft. If these creeps wanted us gone so bad, why didn't they just face us like men?" Snotlout questioned, before flexing his muscles in a way that he probably thought looked macho. "I'd have said bring it!"

"What part of 'they were assassins' did you not understand?" Johann asked impatiently. "They didn't come after you themselves because of _me_. Because so long as I made it seem as though I was working with them, I could blame my failures to eliminate you on my own shortcomings or your skills. I _dreaded_ the day they decided to try and take you out themselves" he admitted.

Hiccup spoke up for the first time, "but when Krogan attacked us, he practically did it right out in the open. Why not just assassinate us back then? Heck, he had me captured and unconscious that one time – why wouldn't he just kill me when he had the chance?"

Johann mopped his brow and said helplessly, "Honestly, I have no idea why they attacked you outright. I was just relieved you would have a chance to fight back, and I didn't dare ask too many questions. As for Krogan, all I know is with a man like that, the only reason he'd spare you is because he had an even worse fate for you in mind, master Hiccup."

The trader sighed and remarked, "Look, since you went to all the trouble of making a list…yes, I sold Mildew the oleander, but I swear, I didn't know it was poisonous! Same with Breakneck Bog, I didn't know there were Smokebreaths living there! I'm a sailor, I don't go near the place. I was being honest when I said I'd sailed too close by accident. Why would I go to a place like that deliberately? It has _break neck_ in the name.

"And just to be clear, the Speed Stinger attack wasn't my fault, I couldn't help the weather, could I? And I should have mentioned the eels, but I've gotten used to them, I suppose – it just slipped my mind! And as for Dagur – no, I didn't say he'd have an armada with him – but I never said he'd be alone, either! I just assumed – I mean, the man always had an armada with him back then! I thought it went without saying!"

Stoick's brow furrowed. "You have an answer for everything, don't you?" he questioned, a bit sarcastically. Johann cringed, as if expecting to be struck. It was then that Hiccup felt he had to step in.

"Dad? I think he's telling the truth."

"Oh really? And what makes you so sure?" Stoick rounded on him.

Hiccup held his ground and said calmly, "Well for one thing, he's not rambling."

"Hmm…good point."

"I still don't get it" said Fishlegs, "If this was going on so long, why didn't you tell us? We would have helped!"

Johann mopped his brow again and explained, "I wanted to, master Fishlegs, but I didn't dare. If I betrayed them to you, they'd stop messing about and…it's not that I thought you wouldn't have done all you could to help; but how could I take the risk that you'd fail for even a moment? I'd have been killed, any one of you could have been killed…after Krogan and so many of his men died, I thought I was free. I just wanted the whole sorry ordeal to be over."

Needless to say, Stoick wasn't happy at having such a dire threat kept secret from him, and gave Johann a very stern warning to be a _lot_ more forthcoming about such matters in the future. Johann promised to tell the truth from then on, and apologised profusely. The other riders forgave him, even Snotlout, albeit a bit grudgingly.

Hesitantly, he asked "Well, ahem, if that will be all? I'm sure everyone's wondering where I am…"

"Aye, probably" Gobber agreed, hobbling forwards, "C'mon, I'll walk back down t' the docks wi' ya."

Stoick followed them, as if he didn't want to let Johann out of his sight. When the three men had gone, Fishlegs breathed a huge sigh of relief. "I'm so glad we sorted that out. Hey, uh, Hiccup? What gave you the idea that Johann could have been a traitor in the first place?" he inquired.

 _Uh oh._ "Oh, uh, y'know me…" Hiccup shrugged, "Just doing too much thinking." When the others were distracted, he looked over his shoulder at Toothless and the other dragons nearby, and gave them a wink.

* * *

(1) Clusters being a term for the packs of Biters within a pack, comprised of several families over two or three generations. The male Biters move on to join or found new clusters.

(2) I made a slight tweak to the canon ending of 'When Lightning Strikes' where Toothless is warier of and less quick to forgive the villagers.

(3) Let's just ignore the fact that anti-venom wasn't a thing until the 1800s, shall we? The writers certainly did. Curse you, anachronisms!

(4) Smoke-Skins = Smothering Smokebreaths. Apparently they actually secrete that smoke from their skin as well as breathing it, so…yeah…


	5. HBS Headcanons

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: Hey so I have a load of head-canons about my take on the HTTYD world and I don't know how/if I'm gonna work them into my stories so what the heck let's just dump them all here, okay? Cool.

Also, dragon names! I've got a table (of sorts) on my tumblr with my alternative names for a load (not all, there's too many) of dragon species: h-t-t-p-s : / all things 10blue10 dot tumblr dot com / post / 176921885537 /dragon-names classification

Would've put it here, but FFN doesn't do tables. HUGE thank you to 'Dragonrider's Fury' for helping to come up with the alternative names for the Flightmare, Armorwing, Snow Wraith and Shellfire ;)

HBS 'Verse Head-Canons

 **Characters**

1\. If dragon nip or dragon root affects Toothless, and Hiccup is in the vicinity, it affects him as well (but still doesn't affect him by himself). Dragon nip makes him essentially act high, unfocused and euphoric, giggling at nothing in particular. Dragon root makes him abnormally aggressive and possessive, not of the root, but of Toothless. However, if they know of the root's presence in advance, Hiccup can use his immunity and their telepathic bond to shield Toothless from the plant's adverse effects.

Hiccup on dragon nip:

"Heh, heh…Astrid…there's a huge scaly kitty here, come pet it."

"Heeeeeeey, Toooothleeeesss….your head is so…. _flat_."

"Whoa...my leg, s'gone…s'all shiny…"

(You may be wondering if I think dragon nip is making the dragons stoned as well. The answer is yes. Yes I do. Why? Because it amuses me.)

Hiccup on dragon root:

"Stay back! He's mine, you hear me?! Mine! Stay away!"

"You want to get to him, you're gonna have to go through me."

"My _precious…_ " 'hisses'. (Okay maybe not this last one).

2\. Even if Toothless were to be completely taken over by dragon root, he would retain enough instinctual awareness of his other half to never directly attempt to attack Hiccup. At worse he would simply be a lot rougher with his human, and give Hiccup lots of apology nuzzles when he came back to his senses.

3\. Between the two of them, Astrid is the stricter parent. Hiccup will put his foot down about anything that could harm his little girl even a tiny bit, but with anything else - getting treats, staying up past bedtime, not eating yucky vegetables - all Helena has to do is seem close to tears and Hiccup folds like a piece of wet toast. He does get better at resisting this weaponised cuteness, eventually.

4\. Helena is well aware that she has her dad wrapped around her little finger and perfected the art of crocodile tears at quite a young age. One of the first tricks she taught Ebony was how to beg, and between them they can wear down even the hardest of guardian hearts with their combined d'aww.

5\. Astrid thought she'd have to mostly take charge when it came to their sex life. Then she discovered that so long as he's certain she's on board and they have a safe-word, Hiccup could be surprisingly sexually aggressive...almost dragonish...only to turn back into an awkward, stammering, blushing, apologetic dork right afterwards. It took her a while to convince him she was into it and it was kind of a massive turn on when he growled like that, damn him.

* * *

Secrets and Lies ch 7 missing scene (inspired by TheWhisperingWarrior):

The council meeting ended, and they were about to leave the Great Hall when Hiccup called, "Hey, Snotlout? Can, uh, can we talk?"

"Oh…sure" he agreed. They sat down at a nearby table and waited until everyone else had gone. "What's wrong?" Snotlout asked finally.

Hiccup hastily replied "Nothing. I mean, maybe…I just wondered if there was anything else bothering you. About me." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, not quite meeting Snotlout's eyes.

Snotlout blinked. "Uh…no? I mean, of course not. It's fine. I told you, I don't really hate you, why don't we just let bygones be bygones" he insisted.

"…Wow. And I thought I was a bad liar" Hiccup smirked a little. Snotlout glared at him, and he held his palms up in surrender. "I don't want to argue with you. I just want to understand. I know we haven't been on the best of terms lately, but you're still my friend. At least…I still want us to be friends" he admitted.

Snotlout dragged a hand over his face. "…You want the truth? I'm jealous. Or envious or whatever it is" he waved a hand dismissively. "There. I said it."

"What…what are you jealous of?" Hiccup asked tentatively.

The other man scoffed. "You have everything. A loving family. A dragon soulmate - you're still my favourite, Fangster, don't worry" he reassured his own partner. "Everyone respects you. The dragons respect you. Heck, you walk through the village and all the dragons bow to you like you're the freaking king of the world. I'm not saying I want that, it's just…your life is perfect."

For a few long moments, neither of them spoke. "My life isn't perfect" Hiccup said quietly at last. "It's _good_ , and I am so grateful…I almost can't believe it, because I have no idea what I did to deserve all this. I look at Toothless and Astrid and Helena and I think, they're _mine,_ and it's…incredible. I never really thought about how my life must seem like from the outside looking in, so to speak" he confessed, "but I…I wouldn't say it was perfect. I mean, if it was, I wouldn't have a certain wolf-loving psycho out for my blood."

Shaking his head, Snotlout remarked, "I still can't believe you want to spare Adulfr. Well, I can, cos it's you we're talking about, but…don't you just want to throttle the guy?" He demonstrated on thin air. "Toothless, don't you want to rip him limb from limb?"

Toothless nodded slowly and deliberately. Hiccup replied, "I hate Adulfr just as much as you do; though not, I imagine, as much as he hates me. But what good will that do? His hatred of me led him to raise an army against us. And I killed Drago, but that didn't solve our problems. If anything, it's just made things worse. Anger begets anger. Hate begets hate. I'm sick of it, Snotlout.

"I'm sick of having to hide away and 'play dead'. I'm sick of doubting myself all the time. I want to do the right thing, but I don't know what the right thing is anymore. I'm sick of doing what I think is the right thing only for it to blow up in my face" Hiccup revealed. He shook his head, grimacing. "I shouldn't have agreed to the whole 'dragon justice' thing. You know why I did? Because I was mad they took Toothless. But letting the dragons attack them is a terrible idea."

"So stop it. Go to Astrid, tell her you've changed your mind."

Hiccup shook his head again. "There's no better alternative. All I can do is persuade the wild dragons not to go overboard, and have the diplomats and their dragons keep an eye on things. Oh, and talk to Gonzales. I need to get his side of the story too." Hiccup sighed heavily, shoulders slumped. "The truth is…sometimes I wish I wasn't the Dragon Whisperer. That I could just be…me."

All this time, Snotlout had thought Hiccup was taking his great life for granted…now, he realised Hiccup's life wasn't really that great after all. He thought about what it would be like to have everyone look to him for answers, only to denounce him when he had none, or when things went south despite or even because of his best efforts to keep the peace. Snotlout didn't think he could deal with that kind of pressure.

"On second thoughts, I'm not jealous" he spoke aloud at last, "I'm…sorry."

"For me?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't asking for pity, or anything."

"No, not like that" Snotlout rolled his eyes. "I'm not sorry for you, I'm just…sorry. For cutting you out. For not saying something before now. We should have had this conversation years ago, but instead I bottled up how I really felt like the selfish git I am."

"You're not selfish, Snotlout. A git, maybe, sometimes, but not selfish. Not anymore. Besides, the blame doesn't just lie with you. I could've…I should have said something, done more to reach out to you. You're not the only one who couldn't shelve his pride long enough to talk. Still…" he sucked in a breath, ran a hand through his hair, and offered his not-so-estranged friend a small smile. "I'm glad we did. Thank you, Snotlout" he remarked, offering a hand.

He was holding out his right hand. Inwardly, Snotlout winced at the thought of how he used to bully Hiccup incessantly for being left-handed, calling him a freak whose hands were on the wrong way round. Now his friend was deferring to his dominant hand and Snotlout didn't feel he deserved that. So instead, he held out his left hand, and gave Hiccup a meaningful stare.

Hiccup blinked, surprised, but then smiled. He clasped Snotlout's hand in both of his own and shook it gently. "You're welcome, Hiccup" the other man replied.

They stood up, and looked over to where their dragons were giving each other reconciliatory nuzzles. Beckoning to their partners, both men left the Great Hall, with hearts lighter than they had been for a long, long time.

* * *

 **Dragon Culture**

6\. To dragons, the sun and moon are the heart-fires of invisible, celestial dragons that watch over the world. This is the closest dragons have to a belief in gods, but their belief system, such as it is, is quite pagan. Dragons have no organised religion and don't really worship anything, but have similar cross-species myths and legends. There's one about the sun hurling a piece of itself at the world, forcing all dragons to hide below the ground...

7\. Dragons don't have the same taboos against cannibalism as most (but not all) human cultures do. The rule of thumb is that no dragons will hunt and devour their own kind; the only exception known so far is the Red Death, where the hatchlings kill and feed on each other until only one remains. More aggressive dragons such as Changewings and Scauldrons are willing to hunt other kinds of dragons, in competition for resources and territory, and rogue male Changewings who take over a pack will kill and sometimes eat the eggs and young of their rival, much like lions. The most common form of cannibalism amongst various dragon kinds is necrophagy; some dragons have scales that are so fireproof, they won't burn even after death, so unless the dragon is poisoned they are eaten after death to dispose of the body and nourish the still living.

8\. Different species of dragon have different mating habits. Dragons in mixed species packs are usually socially monogamous, finding a compatible mate and having offspring with them for several breeding seasons. Dragons in single species packs are often polygamous, either with a dominant male getting all the drakainas, or a dominant female getting her pick of all the drakes.

9\. In order to avoid inbreeding, dragon packs that are 'allied' with each other can have shared breeding grounds so that pack-mates can meet, court and breed with dragons of their own kind that are not from their pack. This also helps with overcrowding as new mated pairs will often go on to establish packs of their own.

10\. True monogamy or 'mating for life' is rare amongst dragons. Members of monogamous species can stay with the same mate for decades, but with such long lifespans and low species density it's more practical for them to have 'open relationships'. The only dragons that truly mate for life are the ones so compatible, with such a strong bond of love and trust that they can't imagine life without each other - the heart bound pairs.

* * *

 **Dragon Biology**

11\. The so-called 'Cavern Crashers' and 'Slitherwings' are not dragons at all, but more primitive and animalistic cryptids incapable of thought-speak. They are one of dragon-kinds few natural predators (except for other dragons) but are very rare, on account of most dragons killing them to defend themselves and their eggs.

12\. Dragons are the most diverse group of vertebrates on the planet, with a variety of body types. The most common are 'Westerns', dragons with four legs and two wings. 38 known species belong to this group, which in turn is divided into five sub-groups: short neck with broad tail fin, short neck with narrow/no tail-fin/club tail, raised forelegs, long neck with broad tail fin, long neck with narrow/no tail fin. The second most common are 'Wyverns', dragons with two legs and two wings, which come in short necked and long necked varieties and include 15 known species. The least common are the 'Hydrans', a collective term for the 7 known dragon species with multiple body parts, usually heads or wings but in a few cases, limbs or tails.

13\. The gullet of a dragon has two tubes - one tube leads directly to the stomach, the other to a thick-membraned fuel sac. This sac, found beneath the breastbone, is filled with the fuel for their fires in a liquid or gaseous medium. It is ignited via a cluster of electrolytes at the back of the throat. Normally, the fuel sac tube is closed by a valve, to prevent air or food from entering the fuel sac. The dragon's lungs and heart constantly squeeze the fuel sac like bellows, causing the pressure and thus the heat to rise. As for where the fuel comes from, it may be that different dragons can isolate the necessary elements in the food they eat and air they breathe, and collect them all in one place. Quite how this is done remains a mystery, and much like thought-speak, a lot of people are content to chalk it up to 'magic'.

14\. Although oleander and azaleas are poisonous to dragons, there are other plants that don't harm them but are still aggravating. These include onions, rosemary, lavender and especially peppermint. One way that Eret and co keep the peace between villages and dragons is by encouraging the locals to plant peppermint around anywhere they don't want dragons to go.

15\. Dragons, like other reptiles, are diapsids. This means they have two holes on each side of their skull behind the eye sockets which allows them to have stronger jaw muscles and open their mouths really wide.

* * *

 **Dragon Reproduction**

16\. Swift-Wing babies grow in eggs! It's just that unlike most other terrestrial dragons, the egg hatches whilst still in the 'womb' and the yolk sac, which acts as a pseudo-placenta, keeps the hatchling alive as it reabsorbs the minerals of the dissolved eggshell to harden its soft scales and make them fireproof.

17\. This 'live birth' strategy is rare amongst terrestrial dragons. Several species of aquatic dragon give birth to live young; after all, it's kind of hard/dangerous to find somewhere to lay eggs when you live in the deep, open ocean. They do, however, migrate to warmer and shallower waters, like whales, to pop their babies out.

18\. Only three species of terrestrial dragons give birth to live young: Sand-Wings, Swift-Wings and Clear-Wings. Basically Sand-Wings evolved from a now extinct species of sea dragon, and in turn the Swift-Wings split off from them, the Clear-Wings later emerging as a (relatively) new subspecies of Swift-Wing. All three species inherited their distant aquatic ancestors' live birth strategy.

19\. The sea dragon most closely related (relatively speaking) to these three is the Thunderdrum, or Bellower, with whom they share a common ancestor. This is evidenced by the base fins and flattened skulls shared by all four kinds of dragon.

20\. Dragon eggs start off with thick, mineral rich shells to protect the developing embryo. Once the hatchling is fully formed, it begins to absorb the minerals to harden and strengthen its scales, weakening the shell. When the egg hatches, it shatters as the baby dragon bursts out, hungry and squalling for fish. Drakainas lick up the shattered eggshell and regurgitate it along with half-eaten fish so that their hatchlings first meal is full of yolk-y, mineral-y goodness.


	6. Thoughts of a Night Fury

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: Now then, you lovely perceptive folk will undoubtedly notice that this is not the next chapter of Hearts Broken. Tbh, I'm drawing a blank for that, so rather than force it and risk writer's block, I thought I'd indulge my fluffier plot bunnies with some 100 word (not counting episode titles) Toothless POV drabbles. Enjoy this break from the misery!

And I have a new song! With background accompaniment from the well known percussion instrument of a hand on a table. Here's the link: h-t-t-p-s-:-/-/-www dot youtube dot com / watch ?v=- JD4CDJ5PDk

Or just search 'lilac lyrics fire in your heart' and enjoy ;)

Also, I know this is a random thing to ask, but are there any Avatar: The Last Airbender fans in the house? If you are, PM me. Let's chat. Okay.

* * *

Thoughts of a Night Fury

(In Dragons We Trust)

I know why you have to do this, little brother. I know it's not safe for us on Berk right now, especially me. "I'll be back for you, I promise." I believe you, Hiccup, but please don't leave. Okay…I'll stay here and keep the others together. But it still hurts to have you take off my saddle, hug me goodbye, and sail away on that ship. I miss you so much already. I feel…abandoned, but I can't lose hope. I know that I have to trust you…trust that you'll come back for me, just as I always have…always will…for you.

* * *

(Alvin and the Outcasts)

That's Hiccup's voice! Wait, what sword? Who are these huge, ugly Vikings? They're not from Berk, and they stink. Hiccup, what have you gotten yourself into? What do you mean, make me angrier? _Oh,_ now I get it. First I'm gonna get you back for leaving me here; by licking you to death! Yes, I did miss you. Yes, come on, the saddle's right where you left it. Put it on me, quick! I'm just gonna ignore that "dirty dragon" comment – I've been grooming myself plenty, thank you very much. At last, you're where you belong – with me. Welcome back.

* * *

(When Lightning Strikes)

The Vikings I thought I could trust have turned on me. They're going to sail me out to sea; they think it will make the lightning go away. But it's not me! Stoick, Gobber and two more humans stand in their way. I'm grateful. Then Hiccup comes to tell them it's the metal, but they won't believe him. Wait, little brother, what are you doing? Be careful! _No_! I struggle harder than ever – Hiccup needs me! At last I break free of that hateful trap and dive to save him. Forget the rest of them – Hiccup comes first for me.

* * *

(What Flies Beneath)

Stay out of this, Hiccup! Just a week ago you got hurt trying to help me; I won't let that happen again…You're not going to stop following me, are you? I know you want to help, but you _can't._ This is between me and that murderer...Great, now I'm cornered. The Spine-Twister is gonna kill me like he killed my dam, because I can't fly without my brother, what was I thinking? Hiccup, get away from the edge! No! Thank the Moon I caught you in time. I'm sorry, Hiccup. I should have let you help me in the first place.

* * *

(We Are Family Pt 1)

"Well, this is it, Toothless. You're finally gonna see you're not alone." I already know I'm not alone, Hiccup. I have you. But I guess it would be nice to find out where I come from. Well, we're here. You happy now?…Was that a roar? Was that…a Swift-Wing? There's one peeking out from the cliffs. Hiccup encourages me and I move towards it, but I'm uneasy. Something feels off. "Toothless, come back!" The next thing I know, we're being captured. It was a trap the whole time! Oh great, it's Alvin and the Huge Ugly Vikings…and Mildew, you treacherous snake!

* * *

(We Are Family Pt 2)

Playing pretend to trick these dumb humans is a good plan, I think, but it sure is boring. These tricks are more fun with Hiccup. That fish smells so good…no, focus! I can't eat it. I have to get them to take this muzzle off. Yes, that's it…finally! I growl and blast them back. That feels good! Now to get out of this really uncomfortable trap. Pull off this band, snap that rope…got it! Step aside, please. Thanks for leaving the door open, suckers! That's for hanging me up, and that's for good measure. Right, now to look for Hiccup.

* * *

(The Night and the Fury)

The mad human alpha, Dagger or whatever his name is, finally works out that we dragons are ridden on Berk, not hunted. We fly away; then he throws those stupid bolas' at me! He attacks me with a sword, but Hiccup blocks it. He's facing an armed, dangerous enemy alone to protect me. It's so brave, and so reckless – so Hiccup, really. "And by the way, I'm not your brother." Yes, not his, but you are mine. And I won't let him hurt you. A few fire blasts should make him think twice before messing with me and my human.

* * *

(A View to a Skrill Pt 1)

Why yes, Astrid, my searching-roar does work in clouds. The sooner we get this Lightning-Fang out of here, the better. Wait, where did those arrows come from? Hookfang, look out! Too late. Oh look, it's Dagger. He wants the Lightning-Fang? He can come and get her…Really, Hiccup? Fine, we'll save the Skrill from Dagur. Astrid, please don't remind me of that. Whoa! I didn't know our combined fires did that! And now she's chasing us. And now she's chasing them. Here goes nothing…OW. Get lost, Dagger. Great; now we've lost the Skrill. When we find her, I want a rematch.

* * *

(A View to a Skrill Pt 2)

Okay, I admit it. I don't like her, but I don't want her to be enslaved by Dagger like this. Don't worry, Hiccup, you'll think of something…really dangerous, why am I not surprised? Stupid Dagger, that's not how you ride a dragon. "Fire, Toothless, now!" Yes, yes, I know – hey! No fair. Wait for it…Yes! Take that, Dagger. Stop shooting at us! We were rescuing you! The Skrill is a female, Hiccup. Follow us? Okay, I trust you. Ice! Yeah, I'd like to see her do that! This iceberg is huge. Oh no, dead end…for _her_. Nice one, little brother!

* * *

(The Eel Effect)

I don't feel so good. Everything's red and wobbly…stay away, Hiccup, the madness will make me hurt you! Where am I going? I can't see! Birds, leaves, buzzing fly – it's too much! My fires, I can't control them! No, Hiccup, not now! I'm too dangerous. I can't stop firing! No, no, _Hiccup_. I'm so sorry. Don't follow me…no, no, get off me, human! You trapped me! Prepare to – ow! Get off me, Rock-Tail. Do I…know you? What is this stuff? The eel…the madness is _gone_. Thank you, Hiccup. You saved me. I'm so sorry I didn't let you help me.

* * *

(Cast Out Pt 1)

Why did it have to be dragon root? Dagur, you are the worst. Now all our lives are in Meatlug's claws…good luck! To all of you. I wish we could help, but the root will make _me_ go mad and attack Hiccup. I am _not_ going through that again. Yes! Well done, Meatlug. Get out of there – no! You heard him, open the door. Dagger, go away. You want me? _Tough._ You can't make him choose like that, it's not fair! Stoick, am I glad to see you. Let's finish this…no, Stoick! Don't worry, Hiccup. We'll get your sire back.

* * *

(Cast Out Pt 2)

You're the only one who is going to fear me, Dagger. I am not yours, and I never will be. Deathkiller? And you say my name makes no sense. Now there are Spine-Twisters everywhere, hooray. As usual, Hiccup, your plans are crazy, but working. The ground is giving way. Get off me, Dagger! Hold on, Hiccup, I'm coming. Is that the Air-Giant? Dagger, stop being so…deranged! Hookfang, what are you doing?! Whoa…impressive. Nice move, Hookfang. Yes, you are welcome Air-Giant, now stop your overgrown temper tantrum….Your sire is right, Hiccup. You will be a great Alpha one day. You already are.

* * *

(The Next Big Sting)

What is this thing? It looks weird, I don't like it. Wait, a flight suit? That's what you have _me_ for! Well said, Fishlegs….wait, okay, that is a good point…maybe this thing will be useful. Not happening, Snotlout! Of course you're falling. Hold on!...You're trying again, aren't you? And it failed. I am so not surprised. Really, again? You judged a lot more than the updrafts wrong, Hiccup. Yes, I am going to worry! I can't watch. Wait, it's working? No, of course, you can't turn. I'm coming, Hiccup! Gotcha! You're welcome – and _that's_ for getting yourself into this mess.

* * *

(Edge of Disaster Pt 2)

Stop that! He's no threat! Yes, Hiccup, I know. Up we go…no! Hiccup! Get off me! I can't catch up. Yes, Hiccup, quick, spread your wings! Land on that sea stack. Wait, no, careful. Gotcha! You're welcome. Now we're surrounded, wonderful. Stay back! Wait? Wait for what? Hiccup, you are brilliant. See? My human is good, he's one of us! The human fearing dragons see my Hiccup's wings and smell his scent like mine, and he does that hand thing to their alpha, who accepts him as no threat. They follow us back to the Edge to help defend it.

* * *

(Dire Straits)

I very much hate this bad plan. Hiccup has nearly drowned too many times. The dragon hunters attack, throwing rocks at us. No, wait, not at us – at the Sea-Churner Hiccup is trying to set free. The others start pulling Hiccup back from the sea, but a rock hits the boat and the chain snaps. I grab it and dive off the boat. It sinks to the bottom; no matter how hard I shove and claw at it, I can't get him out. You're right, Hiccup. I will never leave you. The Sea-Churner…saved us? Hiccup, please be okay…thank the Moon.

* * *

(The Wings of War Pt 1)

I know you want to find another way, Hiccup, but I don't like this plan. Fine, we'll do it your way. A Fire-Scale? No threat – wait, where are you going? Singetail! Hiccup we are not…of course you want to follow him. You owe me for this. Stakeouts are _boring._ This dragon is boring…and gross. *Don't do it, Hiccup!* I wish you could hear me. That's right, you won't hear the end of it, and neither will he. He's attacking! I leap at him, but he bucks me off and blasts at me. Hiccup, why do you never listen to me?!

* * *

(Darkest Night)

You…you wish we hadn't met? Hiccup, you don't…blame me for this, do you? Please don't go. There you are. Apology accepted…bad choice of words, though. Hi Astrid. Yes, listen to her, Hiccup. Your life would be so dull without me in it. My life would be dull without you…really, Astrid? I would not trip up and knock myself out like that! What's with the Spine-Twister? Okay, climbing up me _is_ something he'd do. Yes, flying! Seriously? I'm fireproof, Astrid, my tail-fin wouldn't just burn off! Oh, never mind. If your story makes Hiccup feel better, then that's all that matters.

* * *

A/N: Please feel free to ask for clarification if any of the stream-of-consciousness musings confuse you.


	7. Facing The Past

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: So I decided to dust off the old 'HBS Vignettes' and go back to Toothless-Hiccup's dreamworld. There was a whole shadowy mysterious cloud of Toothless' memories that I never really addressed, and no time like the present!

The memories for Toothless & Hiccup are shown from a third person perspective. Let's just assume that their minds are filling in the gaps, so to speak, with what they know/knew they looked like at the time of the memory.

Also, the next chapter of 'Crossroads' will be delayed, due to the fact that I'll be on holiday in southern Italy next week. But I'll still be writing there ;) Ciao!

Facing The Past

*Toothless? Can…can I ask you something?* Hiccup inquired tentatively. They were sleeping, technically; but they were also in their dream realm, having just lived through each other's memories of when his father was gravely injured and, in his fear, he'd claimed it wouldn't have happened if he and Toothless never met. Hiccup had apologised profusely for ever suggesting such a thing.

His other half reassured him; he'd been scared, stressed, and Toothless knew he hadn't meant what he said. He'd taken it back right afterwards…even if his apology hadn't quite come out right. The dragon had been more irritated by his friends wild stories, Astrid's in particular. *My tail-fin was _torn_ off, not burned off. It was just as fireproof as the rest of me, thank you very much.*

Now, he looked at Hiccup's open, nervous expression and crooned reassuringly. *Of course. What's wrong?* Toothless encouraged, nuzzling him. Hiccup stroked him thoughtlessly and explained *You know that shadowy cloud…the one with your old memories in it, from before you met me?* The dragon stiffened, pupils slitting. *Can…can we go in there? Please?* asked Hiccup.

Toothless stared at him uncomprehendingly. *Why in Moon's name would you want to do that?* he questioned, pushing back on the urge to snarl in displeasure. He never wanted to take Hiccup anywhere _near_ that part of his past, but of course his ever curious partner wanted to see it regardless.

*Because it's your memories; it's part of you. I want to understand it* Hiccup explained. *I'll let you see my memories of the time before we met* he offered. It almost felt like a different life now; there was Hiccup before Toothless came into his life, and Hiccup after. He much preferred being the latter. *There won't be as much, though. And it probably won't be as interesting* he added.

Toothless shook his head. *My memories won't be 'interesting', Hiccup. Not in the way you think. You made me a better dragon; there are parts of my past I don't…I can't…* He whined, struggling to explain it. *I don't want you to see that side of me* Toothless said at last, looking Hiccup straight in the eye and hoping that he'd understand. *I don't…I don't want you to think less of me.*

Hiccup reached out to caress and hold his great head. *I won't. Toothless, I promise, whatever's in your past, I won't think less of you. We all have things we regret. I mean, you know before I met you, I wanted to…you-know-what a dragon. You made me a better human* he smiled. Toothless still looked reluctant. *Okay; I don't have to see them. But will you tell me about them?*

Toothless closed his eyes and leaned into Hiccup's touch. He really wasn't sure about this, but… *Do you really want to know?* he asked, meeting Hiccup's gaze, eyes full of naked worry. Hiccup gently rested their foreheads together.

*It's part of you* he repeated, *and you're my other half, so it's part of me too. I want to know everything about you, bud; even your dark side. I want you to know everything about me* Hiccup revealed. *Even my dark side* he added.

*You don't have a dark side* Toothless denied immediately. *You're perfect.*

Hiccup countered, *So are you. To me, at least. We're both perfectly imperfect, how about that?* he suggested. Toothless warbled approvingly and nuzzled him. Then the dragon sighed, got to his feet, and motioned for Hiccup to climb onto his back. With a grateful smile and one more reassuring stroke, Hiccup climbed on and they took off, flying out of the cove and towards the dark cloud.

On the way, Hiccup rubbed Toothless' shoulders and his head comfortingly. *So…what is it in there you don't want me to see?* he wondered. *Just so I know what to expect.* He knew he was asking a lot from Toothless, and he didn't want to go in blindly, as it were. His other half was trusting him so much, and the last thing Hiccup wanted to do was get caught off guard and judge him.

The dragon warbled uneasily. *There's…the time I was enslaved by _Her_ * he answered at last. *I did…bad things. Selfish, cruel things* he admitted.

*But it wasn't your fault. She was controlling you, she _made_ you do it.*

*Not all of it. She didn't control us as much as you think; our minds were crushed by her Will, but we were still aware. Or at least, I was* said Toothless.

*Is that why you never stole food?* Hiccup wondered, *because you could resist that command, somehow?* Maybe Swift-Wings were more immune.

Toothless shuddered. *I don't…I don't really know if that was _me_ choosing not to steal food, or if she didn't command me to. I was the only Swift-Wing there for years, but there might have been others she caught before me. That monster knew what my kind could do, and she used me for it* he revealed.

Hiccup grimaced. He didn't know what was worse; the idea that the Red Death had been smart enough to use tactics when she forced the dragons to raid, or the idea that other Swift-Wings had been caught in her mind snare. If they weren't around anymore, then they must have been…he stroked Toothless' head, more to reassure himself. *I'm sorry that happened to you, bud.*

*It's okay* Toothless told him, but he could sense the dragon's anxiousness. Or perhaps that was the guilt twisting his stomach into knots. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea… *Toothless, wait* Hiccup exclaimed suddenly, *we don't have to do this. If you're not ready…* he sighed and admitted *I'm being selfish. It's _your_ past, I should just mind my own business. We can go back to the cove.*

Toothless replied *You're right. I'm not ready…but will I ever be?* He crooned and projected feelings of security and courage. *Some of my old memories still haunt me. I never told you, but I had nightmares about them. I haven't faced my past in a long time…but with you here, maybe I'll be able to put it behind me.*

Overcome with emotion, Hiccup promised *I'm here. We'll face it together, okay? And no matter what we find in there, it won't change how I feel about you. It's me and you, always.* His other half warbled gratefully, the emotion thrumming through their bond. They both looked ahead again. The dark mass was approaching rapidly. With much trepidation, Toothless flew into it.

* * *

It was nothing like flying into a regular cloud, of course. There was no dampness, yet a subtle chill had the hairs on the back of Hiccup's neck stand up. There was a sense of foreboding, though he couldn't tell if it was his own or his dragons or just in the air around them. It was dark, yet he could see clearly, and then he realised everything was in black and white. They were flying over water.

Hiccup suddenly recognised where they were; he and Toothless had flown this very route several times. The one between Berk and Dragon Island…it was the middle of the night, a sliver of crescent moon glowing above them. Hiccup made out the sound of flapping wings up ahead, and soon forms appeared, resolving into dragons flying in a group. All of them had prey dangling from their claws.

A raid. Or the aftermath of one. It reminded Hiccup of when Toothless had first taken him and Astrid to the nest of the Red Death. Swallowing in trepidation, he hunched close to his dragons' shoulders. He knew it was just a memory, that the other dragons couldn't hurt him, but he was still nervous. Hiccup felt more than heard Toothless whimper, and realised it wasn't his own nerves he was feeling.

"I'm here" he whispered. Talking aloud, even quietly, seemed to help him anchor himself. "What's wrong, bud?" he asked. Peering at the dragons, Hiccup noticed that Toothless' familiar silhouette was not amongst them. _Where is he?_

*You said it yourself – I didn't steal food* Toothless reminded him. *Didn't you ever wonder how I gave enough tribute to survive?* he asked, voice somber.

Hiccup opened his mouth and closed it again. He'd never really thought about that. "I dunno. I guess I just thought you got fish, or something" he replied.

*I did, sometimes. But other times…I did things like this* Toothless said gravely. Before Hiccup could ask _things like what_ , one of the dragons they were following dropped out of the sky. A large black mass had fallen on them, dived on them from above. Hiccup watched the Spike-Tail struggle to fend off Toothless – what other Fury could it be? – as the black dragon attacked her.

It wasn't the other dragon that past-Toothless was after; it was the dead sheep clutched in their claws. The carcass was dislodged, and past-Toothless dived after it, knocking his opponent aside with a small plasma blast. He snatched it just before it hit the water, and carried it into the fogs around the nest. Hiccup flinched when he realised they were at the accursed island already.

Moments later he heard the call, and this time he heard the command that came with it. * **COME. FEED ME**.* They followed past-Toothless and the other dragons into the depths of the nest. The swirling cloud of frantic dragons dropped their prey into the pit and fled to the ledges around it, cowering submissively. Past-Toothless crouched on a high outcrop, slit-pupilled eyes fixated on the pit in which the monster that enslaved him was lurking.

A straggler flew in; the Nadder that past-Toothless had stolen prey from. She dropped a mouthful of fish into the pit and tried to flee, but - * **STAY** * the Red Death demanded. Instead of flying away as fast as she could, the Nadder hovered just a second too long. Hiccup couldn't tear his eyes away, but a black tail-fin came up and blocked his view before he could see the grisly scene.

Toothless suddenly fled, so fast that Hiccup thought the Red Death had sensed them and attacked. Yet she couldn't have; it was only a memory. Still, he could feel how shaken Toothless was. He was pretty unnerved himself. The Red Death had devoured a dragon after getting so much prey already, just for giving a smaller tribute. How could any creature be so selfish and greedy and cruel?

They landed on a sea stack, as far from Dragon Island as Toothless could get. He whimpered almost imperceptibly as Hiccup slid from his back and stepped away from him, staring at him in horror and dismay. *I'm sorry* he whimpered louder, lowering his head and crouching _submission_ before his other half. He did not want Hiccup to fear him. *I'm so sorry. I'm a bad dragon* Toothless whined.

Hiccup gaped at him. Toothless' eyes – still green, the only colour in this black-and-white realm – were filled with guilt and shame, even fear. Those feelings pulsed through their bond and twisted in Toothless-Hiccup's stomachs like _not-to-eat_ eels. "No" he gasped out, throwing himself forward to embrace his other half tightly. "No, bud, no. It's okay. You're not a bad dragon. It's not your fault."

Toothless whined _confusion,_ even as he wrapped a paw over Hiccup's back to return the hug. *How can you say that? You just saw…what I did* he whimpered again. That dragon had died because of him. Worse still, he remembered the colours of her; she had Stormfly's colours. She had been Stormfly's dam. That was why he'd made these memories be black and white.

He would not burden Hiccup with the knowledge that he had gotten one of their friends mothers killed. There were some secrets Toothless bore alone.

Hiccup swallowed hard. *I know. But it's not your fault. She made you do it.*

*No, she didn't. That's the problem! The mad Queen didn't _force_ me to attack dragons. For all I know, she would have spared me anyway. I was just scared…*

"Exactly! You were _scared._ She controlled you with fear. Look, I…I wish you hadn't done what you did" Hiccup admitted, "but you did it because you thought there was no other way. It's _Her_ fault for putting you in that position. And I know you'd _never_ do something like that now. I still trust you, Toothless."

The dragon whined softly. *Are you sure?* he asked, head ducked and pupils wide. He wasn't surprised that Hiccup forgave him, but he still didn't feel like he entirely deserved it. However, his other half nodded firmly and moved to embrace him again. Toothless thought about what Hiccup said. If the blame really did lie more with the mad Queen, perhaps he could forgive himself.

Toothless had never told Stormfly about what happened. *Hiccup?* he asked nervously, *do you think…if one of the dragons I got killed had family still alive…do you think _they_ would forgive me?* _Please don't ask me who I mean, please don't ask me who I mean_ he hoped desperately. Hiccup pulled away and gave him a considering look. Toothless' tail and ear-flaps twitched agitatedly.

"It's been a while" Hiccup said at last. "Maybe they already know, or maybe they don't. I guess…it depends on how well you know the dragons. If you think it wouldn't go over well, you should probably let the past lie. I won't tell you that you should definitely tell them or not; you just gotta use your better judgement" he explained. He caressed Toothless' jaw and said, "Let's go back."

Toothless warbled gratefully and let Hiccup climb onto his back. They returned to the cove and curled up together, soothing each other into a deeper sleep.

* * *

It wasn't long before Hiccup and Astrid went on another date. Whilst their humans were off talking and kissing, Toothless led Stormfly aside and confessed the terrible truth to her. He crouched submissively and apologised, begging her not to hurt him. The Spike-Tail rolled her eyes at him and revealed she already knew; other dragons had seen it happen and told her after she was freed.

*You knew?* Toothless squeaked in surprise. *Why didn't you say anything?*

Stormfly clicked her tongue in exasperation. *What would be the point?* she asked, flicking her spines. Toothless flinched. *It happened a long time ago. If my dam hadn't been killed by _Her_ , she might have been killed by the Vikings. Toothless, why are you only bringing this up now? It's been years* she pointed out, tipping her head to keep the black dragon out of her blind spot.

Toothless' shoulders slumped in relief. *Hiccup wanted to see my memories from before we met. That was the first one I showed him. I didn't tell him who the dragon really was, though* he explained. *I thought if I told you the truth…since we're friends, maybe you would forgive me. We _are_ still friends, right?* he asked her, realising only now that he might have ruined that.

In answer, Stormfly tapped him with her tail and leapt away, cawing *Can't catch me!* With a gummy smile, Toothless gave chase, the two of them tearing up the landscape and narrowly avoiding trampling Hiccup and Astrid's picnic. Toothless roared joyfully as he felt the guilt lift from his shoulders. Hiccup forgave him, and Stormfly forgave him, so perhaps he could forgive himself.

A few nights later, Toothless-Hiccup were in their dreamworld again. Once more, Hiccup was the one to broach the uncomfortable subject, but this time he offered to show Toothless one of _his_ 'pre-best thing that's ever happened to me' memories. "It's only fair that you get to see my past if you showed me yours" he insisted. Hiccup wouldn't be dissuaded, so into the lake they went.

The first memory they came across was of past-Hiccup sitting on the front step of his house, sketching something in a notebook. He was engrossed in it, and didn't look up until a pebble struck his temple. "Ow!" the boy cried, looking up and rubbing his head. The twins were standing nearby, smirking at him. Past-Hiccup snapped his notebook shut and hastily stuffed it in his waistcoat.

"Oops! Sorry" said past-Ruffnut, not sounding sorry at all. "We were just trying to get your attention. D'you wanna play with us?" she asked. Past-Hiccup stared warily at them. "Whatcha doing in that book, anyway?" past-Ruffnut inquired.

"Nothing" he replied immediately. "Um, what…what did you want to play?"

"It's a surprise; but it's fun! Promise. You gotta come with us into the woods." Toothless could tell that those two were up to no good; he couldn't believe his eyes when past-Hiccup got to his feet and began to follow them into the trees.

*What is he doing? How can he not see this is a trick?* the dragon questioned.

*He does – I mean, I did. Or at least I had a bad feeling about it. But I was desperate. You know how much I wanted to be one of them* Hiccup explained. The very air around them seemed to ripple, and soon the village gave way to a clearing in the woods. It wasn't empty, however. Past-Snotlout was pacing back and forth, tossing a small knife in his hands. Tuffnut waved. "Hail, Snotman!"

It broke Toothless' heart to see the fear bloom in past-Hiccup's eyes when he saw the larger, meaner boy. "Oh, uh, hey Snotlout" he said with forced casualness, leaning against a nearby tree. "Did the twins ask you to play too?"

The grin on past-Snotlout's face was predatory. "'Sup, Useless" he sneered, prowling closer, or so it seemed to Toothless. Past-Hiccup tensed, but stood his ground. "Nah, I asked them to play. I've been out here practicing my stealth skills, so if I ever see a dragon in these woods, I can sneak up on 'em and bam!" Snotlout yelled suddenly, lunging at Hiccup with the knife in his hand raised.

Past-Hiccup gave a small scream and staggered backwards, tripping over a tree root. The other three laughed at him, which made Toothless' blood boil. *He just leapt at you with a blade! He could have hurt you!* the dragon snarled indignantly, as his other half's younger self scrambled to their feet. The current version shrugged. *He wasn't really anywhere near me. He just scared me.*

Toothless couldn't believe Hiccup was making excuses for that horrible brat. His younger self gave a forced, nervous laugh of his own. "Ha, ha, yeah, you got me. So, what _are_ we playing?" he wondered aloud, "Hide and seek? I can go first."

*I only offered to go first cos the last time they asked me to play hide and seek, I hid and they went back home. I waited in a hollow tree for ages like an idiot.*

Before the Fury could protest, the memory continued. "Pfft, nah, this is a _way_ better game. We're gonna hunt a dragon" Snotlout revealed. Then Tuffnut, who had finally managed to get back to his feet, announced "And then we're gonna sacrifice the dragon to Loki, in exchange for more delightful chaos in the raids!"

This didn't make any sense, but then Toothless expected no less from the twins. Past-Hiccup straightened his narrow shoulders and declared, "I can do that. Pretend to hunt a dragon, I mean. I'll slay one for real, when I get bigger."

Past-Snotlout scoffed. "Don't you mean, 'if'?" he asked. "What's a runt like you gonna do against a dragon? I bet you couldn't even take down a Terror."

"I – yes, I could! I even have ideas for a trap to catch them" past-Hiccup insisted.

Looking unimpressed, Snotlout informed him "We're not gonna hunt Terrible Terrors. We're gonna hunt a really rare dragon. There's only one in the whole archipelago. Maybe even in the whole world; and _I'm_ gonna be the one to slay it" he declared smugly. Toothless snorted. *You'll be waiting a really long time.*

Hiccup's eyes went wide. "Are…Are we gonna practise hunting the _Night Fury_?" he asked, "cos that dragon's dangerous. Not that I'm scared or anything…"

"Not the Night Fury, stupid. What's the point in pretending to kill a dragon nobody can catch?" Snotlout asked incredulously. *Shows what you know!*

"The Night Fury doesn't even _exist_ " Tuffnut insisted, completely serious. Toothless just rolled his eyes. How had this human even survived to adulthood?

"Of course it exists, you moron. What do you think blows up the catapults?"

"Your mum's face – aaargh!" Tuffnut yelled as Snotlout leapt at him, dropping the knife in favour of punching the other boy in the face. As they wrestled, Ruffnut got a dreamy – well, dopey – smile on her face and remarked, "Man. If anyone took down the legendary _Night Fury_ , they'd be the hero of Berk!"

Toothless gave Hiccup a side-eyed glance; the young man shrugged sheepishly.

Snotlout leapt back to his feet and announced "It's totally gonna be me. I just gotta get some training first." _So much for 'no one can catch the Night Fury_ ' Toothless thought with a roll of his eyes. Young Snotlout was such a braggart.

 _Right, so pretty much nothing has changed, then._

"But anyway, it's not the Night Fury we're hunting. It's about _this_ high", Snotlout raised his hand up to the height of Hiccup's head. "And about _this_ wide", he held his hands apart the width of Hiccup's slim frame. Toothless did not like where this was going. "And it's called…the Useless Runt. Oh, look, there's one now!" he cried, pointing straight at Hiccup, who turned pale.

Toothless growled. Past-Hiccup backed away as the three larger kids advanced on him. "Err, guys? That doesn't…this isn't funny. I don't wanna play anymore!"

With a sickeningly malicious grin, Snotlout began to chant. "Hunt the Runt. Hunt the Runt. Hunt the Runt!" He, Tuff and Ruff stalked towards Hiccup, hands outstretched. The little boy stumbled over that tree root again, managed to not fall over, turned and ran for his life. The memory followed him, the world moving around them as past-Hiccup dashed past trees as fast as he could go.

He ducked under branches and splashed through puddles and scrambled through bushes, trying desperately to shake off his pursuers. For chasing them they were, whooping battle cries. The terrified boy tumbled down a small ravine and dived behind a large boulder – the same boulder, incidentally, that Toothless had pinned him against all those years ago. He crouched down, breathing hard, covered in nicks from thorns, tears forming in his eyes.

* * *

Not being able to intervene was tearing at Toothless like a predator at his belly. If he could he'd sweep the child up, roar at Snotlout and the twins, and carry Hiccup away to safety. Instead he could only watch as past-Hiccup huddled behind the rock, listening intently for the cruel children searching for him. "Keep looking!" Snotlout cried, "The Useless Runt has gotta be here somewhere!"

Toothless was so angry he trembled with it. As if tricking Hiccup wasn't bad enough, these horrid brats couldn't just leave him alone. Past-Hiccup tried to sneak away, only to step on a fallen stick that snapped loudly. He winced and cringed, freezing in place. "I heard something over there!" Tuffnut's voice drifted through the trees. Hiccup gasped in alarm and fled once more.

He kept running until he heard voices and a rhythmic thudding, sawing noise up ahead. Hiccup veered towards it, dodging past trees and using his small size to his advantage, blundering through routes that would be harder for larger foes to get through. Seeing him so terrified, hunted, made Toothless howl. The black dragon bounded alongside him, wanting desperately to snatch Hiccup up safe.

Finally, Hiccup burst out of the trees, right into the path of his sire, who was wielding a large wood-chopping axe. Stoick cried out. "Aaargh!"

"Aaaaaah! Don't kill me!" Hiccup screamed, throwing his arms over his head.

Though caught off guard, Stoick set the axe aside and hurried over to his son. "Hiccup, what happened to you? Where are you going in such a rush? And why are you crying?" he demanded, taking Hiccup by his shoulders. "Look at me!"

Sniffling, panting, Hiccup rambled out "Snotlout, twins, hunt, sacrifice to Loki!"

"What? Slow down, for Thor's sake, I can't understand what you're saying."

Hiccup sucked in a deep breath and blurted out "Snotlout and the twins are hunting me so they can sacrifice me to Loki! Dad, they wanna _kill_ me!"

Stoick just looked exasperated, which only increased Toothless' ire. "Son, don't be ridiculous" he scolded. "Those three are troublemakers, no doubt, but they wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Not for real. It must be a misunderstanding."

Toothless growled. *In his defence, saying they wanted to kill me was a pretty big over-exaggeration on my part* the current Hiccup remarked airily.

Just then, Snotlout and the twins emerged from the trees. Hiccup looked very much like he wanted to hide behind his father's bulk, but then thought better of it. Stoick eyed the three other children and demanded "What's all this about you chasing Hiccup through the woods? And some nonsense about sacrifices?"

Snotlout shrugged. "I have no idea what Hiccup is talking about, Chief, sir. We were just playing hide and seek. He must have gotten lost again" he remarked.

"I did not!" Hiccup protested. "You were hunting me! Dad, don't listen to him!"

"Your boy is being a wee bit overdramatic, don'tcha think, Stoick?" asked Spitelout, who was helping chop up the firewood. Toothless fired a plasma blast at him. It didn't do anything, of course, but it made the dragon feel a bit better.

"Okay, look. Clearly the kids' game got out of hand" Stoick decided. "You three stay near the village; don't go gallivanting off into the woods, there's traps and wild boars you could run into. Hiccup, come on. I'm taking you home" he said. When Stoick wasn't looking, Snotlout caught Hiccup's eye and pretended to rock a baby in his arms, made weeping faces. The twins noticed and sniggered.

Toothless fired a blast at them, too, but the memory was already moving on. Stoick walked Hiccup home, and had the _gall_ to scold Hiccup for what had happened. "If you'd just stayed home where I left you then none of this would"-

"But dad, it's not my fault!" the little boy tried to protest. "Th-they said they wanted me to play with them. I thought…I know it was stupid to believe them…"

"Son, I'm sure they _did_ want you to play, and this was all a misunderstanding. Those twins go on about Loki all the time, but they wouldn't sacrificea _person_ to him. Did you ever think that maybe they were just joking around with you?"

*You snake-bellied excuse for a sire! They weren't joking, they _bullied_ him!*

"Snotlout had a knife!" Hiccup tried to protest, "He lunged at me with it. They said I was a Useless Runt and sort of stalked towards me…so I ran for it."

Stoick shook his head in disapproval – but at Hiccup, not his peers. "A real Viking doesn't run, Hiccup. We stand our ground. You've got to stand up for yourself."

Hiccup sniffled, wiping his nose and eyes with the back of his hand. He mumbled something that Stoick didn't seem to hear, but Toothless did. "I'm _trying_ to." The dragon snarled and began to gather fire in his jaws, but Hiccup – the older version – stepped in front of him, blocking his aim. *Toothless, stop. I don't want you firing a plasma blast at my father* he insisted, arms folded.

*It's not going to hurt him! He won't even feel it. This is just a memory.*

*I know, but it's a matter of principle. Besides, I think I know why we found this memory first. Look* Hiccup insisted, gesturing. Toothless looked. They were inside Hiccup's room, and his younger self was sitting on the bed, hugging his knees to his chest. The urge to nuzzle and comfort him was overwhelming, and Toothless rubbed his head against the current Hiccup in near desperation.

Then past-Hiccup looked up with a determined expression on his young face, scrambled off his bed and went over to the desk. He pulled out his notebook and rifled through it to an empty page, picked up a charcoal pencil. "Whoever takes down the Night Fury would be a hero, huh?" he muttered to himself as he scribbled. "There's no way they'd pick on me, if I can just…kill a dragon…"

* * *

The space around them rippled again, and they found themselves in the cove. "See?" Hiccup asked, when Toothless stared at him in dismay. "If that stuff hadn't happened, I wouldn't have been as motivated to try and capture a dragon. Then I wouldn't have built the machine that shot you down and we'd never have met. So when you think about it, their prank was a good thing."

Toothless stared at Hiccup as if he'd grown a second head. *Am I supposed to be grateful?* he asked incredulously. *To be glad about how those pests and your own sire treated you? They humiliated and insulted you for years, and I can't believe you're making excuses for them!* he snarled. Hiccup flinched. The dragon's gaze instantly softened. *I'm sorry* he crooned apologetically.

Hiccup reached a hand out, and Toothless nestled his snout into the man's palm. *It hurts me to see you hurt. Even more to see you hurt yourself.* He gave a sorrowful moan and nuzzled closer. *You suffered so much before we met* Toothless realised, as Hiccup ran gentle hands over his head.

"I think 'suffered' is a bit of a strong word" Hiccup protested, "….but yeah, it wasn't fun" he admitted. Then he revealed "I didn't enjoy it at the time, but my life back then…it made me who I am. If I didn't know what it's like to be helpless…I might not have realised that we were the same" he said, gazing into Toothless' eyes, seeing love and longing reflected there. "I can't regret that."

*I understand* Toothless crooned, *and I suppose, if I hadn't been made to do what I did, I wouldn't want to save other dragons from the same fate.*

"Exactly. Besides, it wasn't _all_ doom and gloom. If we do this again, what d'you say we show each other some happy memories? Like, uh…I know! Do you remember the first time you went flying?" Hiccup asked eagerly. Toothless' pupils narrowed, his eyes widened, and he suddenly became fascinated with the grass over there. *You know, I'm not sure I do. It was such a long time ago…*

A grin spread over Hiccup's face. "Oh, c'mon, you must remember! That's not the sort of thing you just forget. I know I won't" he remarked with a fond smile.

Toothless purred, then groaned when he realised Hiccup wasn't going to let this go. *Okay, fine. I remember my first flight. It's just…it was embarrassing* he whined. If he hoped for sympathy, however, he was disappointed. Hiccup's grin only got wider, and the Swift-Wing just wanted to bury his head in his paws.

"Now I really want to see it" Hiccup giggled, "I bet you were _adorable_ back then. Pleeeease?" In a burst of inspiration, he adopted his dragon form and gave the best pleading look he could muster. Toothless just rolled his eyes, exasperated.

*Alright, but you have to show me one of _your_ most embarrassing memories.*

*Deal!* Hiccup agreed straightaway. He dropped his hindquarters as if about to pounce. Toothless gave him a flat look and pounced first, bowling him over. The two of them shrieked and wrestled and snapped without teeth, tumbling over each other in the grass, wings and tails tangling. The play-fight chased away any lingering self-doubt, indignant anger replaced with indignant laughter.

Yes, they had done things, or had things done to them, they both regretted; but all that was in the past. They had faced it, and now they could look forward to the future, together. They had each other now, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

A/N: I'm gonna leave what made Toothless' first flight so embarrassing, and what Hiccup's most embarrassing memory was, up to your imaginations ;)


	8. Long Awaited Conversations

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: This chapter was written for my friend IronGut ;)

Long Awaited Conversations

Hiccup, Astrid and Valka had come back to the Ice Nest, to visit the King and ask him if he could help them all hear thought-speak. Hiccup had no idea if it was even possible to let someone who wasn't heart bound hear it, much less make it permanent, but if he could…it would change everything. At least, it'd make things a lot easier now that he and Astrid were married and living together.

*So, I was thinking maybe I could make other people hear thought-speak, but I have no idea where to start, and then I remembered that _you_ helped me start think-speaking properly so maybe you'd know a way to do this…um, do you?* he asked the Sea-Giant, hopeful and a little sheepish. _He probably has better things to do_ Hiccup chided himself, _like…I don't know what he'd do for fun, but…_

*IDEA* the King replied, surprising him. He hadn't really expected an answer that wasn't a simple, apologetic 'no'. It wasn't like this had happened before.

"Really?" he asked aloud. "He says he has an idea" Hiccup said for the benefit of his wife and mother, who were waiting nearby. They were surprised as well; though the Sea-Giant was ancient and wise, so perhaps he knew more than they realised. Astrid then asked what the plan was, and what they had to do.

In a series of mental images, the King conveyed to Hiccup what his idea was. First, Hiccup moved to the cliff edge and placed his hand flat on the rough scales of the King's chin, which was the highest he could reach. Then he looked back and gestured for his mother to join them. "Okay, so, I'm just gonna…" Hiccup said awkwardly, reaching out and placing a hand on her forehead. _Here goes…_

"…close your eyes…" Hiccup instructed. He summoned his Will and said "I'm gonna try and reach into your mind. That sounds creepy, doesn't it? Sorry." The King urged him to focus. He concentrated, picturing the King in his mind's eye and trying to project it to Valka. "Can you see the King? In your mind, I mean?"

She didn't answer at first; he could feel her frowning. Then she said "…Yes…"

"Good…" Hiccup's temples were starting to throb. "So, imagine reaching out to touch him" he instructed. It felt like something was pressing against his forehead from the inside, like his brain was trying to escape from his skull. All of a sudden, he felt an odd snapping sensation, as if a taut trip-wire had been plucked in the back of his mind. They gasped. He was afraid it hadn't worked.

"What happened?" Astrid inquired quickly, worriedly. "Are you guys okay?"

Valka reached a hand up to her head. "Yes…I felt something strange. A sort of…twang" she muttered, blinking. "Was that supposed to happen?" she asked.

Hiccup almost didn't dare hope… "Did you imagine what I said?" he questioned, and when Valka nodded, he spun around and called "Toothless, say something!"

*Something* the dragon repeated dutifully. Valka's jaw dropped, her eyes widened. She could _hear_ him. Trembling, she moved over to Cloudjumper and gazed up into his eyes. "H-hello, Cloud" she said, a smile playing on her lips. He purred and greeted her in turn. *Hello, Valka.* His voice was deep and rumbling, like thunder. Her eyes welled with joyful tears, and she hugged him.

"Wait, so, it worked then?" Hiccup double-checked. Valka turned to her son, beaming even as she cried. "Yes, it worked" she confirmed, "I can hear them. Thank you, Hiccup, _thank you_. This is…it's incredible. I never dreamed I'd…"

Hiccup smiled as well, pleased. "Don't mention it. Okay, Astrid, it's your turn."

By the time Astrid could hear thought-speak, Hiccup's brain was throbbing. At least that was what it felt like. *It isn't going to hurt him every time, is it?* Toothless asked the king as Hiccup leaned on him, and Astrid tried to help him drink some willow-bark tea that would help ease the pounding headache.

*YOU SUPPORT MIND LINK. USE WILL. NO PAIN* the King replied. If Hiccup let people hear thought-speak through Toothless, and Toothless used his Will to reach out as well, their bond would help him do it without getting a migraine.

They thanked the King for all his help. *YOU'RE WELCOME* he replied, before withdrawing from the conversation. Hiccup and Toothless went to try and sleep off the headache, whilst Astrid and Valka decided to go with their dragons for a private talk, and have the first real conversation with their partners, well, _ever._

* * *

"Can we go see our old cave?" Valka asked Cloudjumper. He replied *If you like*, and lowered his shoulder for her to climb on. She mounted with practised ease and he flew up to the cavern they'd shared together for twenty one years. It was empty now, of all the things Valka had gathered to make it into a home for herself, but as soon as he landed Cloudjumper knew things were different.

Valka was about to climb off his back when he grunted *Wait. New scents.* Cloudjumper sniffed the air, the ground. *Our scents are gone. A Fire-Scale family lives here now* he explained. Valka felt strangely…disappointed? No, that wasn't quite right; they hadn't been here for a year at least, of course the cave would have been reclaimed. Yet at the same time, it had been theirs.

"Let's go flying" she suggested quickly. "We don't want to…to be trespassing."

Cloudjumper obligingly flew out of the mountain and soared up through the wide open sky. Valka sighed in contentment. "It's so peaceful up here" she murmured. Cloudjumper crooned _agreement_. *Valka, you liked it here, didn't you?* he asked hesitantly. *Here at this nest?* He felt he needed to know.

Taken aback, she replied "Of course I did, why wouldn't I?" Surely he didn't think she'd been miserable all those years, exploring and helping dragons?

*This wasn't your home* he warbled regretfully. *You didn't choose to be here…I kidnapped you. I know it's been a long time – well, for humans - *

"It has been a long time" she agreed before he could go on, "and I forgave you a long time ago. Cloud, I don't think I ever blamed you in the first place! I _loved_ living here amongst dragons, learning about you all, helping you. This _was_ my home, Cloudjumper, for twenty one years. It doesn't matter that I wasn't born here. I choseto stay here with you. I didn't want…I couldn't go back to Berk."

*Didn't you miss it?* Cloudjumper asked curiously. *Berk, I mean.*

"No. Yes. Kind of?" Valka shrugged. "I missed Stoick and Hiccup, of course; and Gobber" she added as an afterthought. "But I didn't miss the fighting. I didn't miss the looks I'd get or the whispers behind my back. I definitely didn't miss having to…" Her throat closed up. Old memories crept into her mind, and she shuddered. It had been so long, and she thought she had moved past it all…

"C-Cloudjumper? There's s-something I need to…to tell you." Valka felt herself tremble. He wasn't the only one with old regrets; but he deserved to know the truth about her, after all this time. Cloud felt her shaking too, and glided down towards one of the smaller islands that surrounded the nest. *It's okay, Valka* he rumbled _comfort,_ *I'll land down here and then you can tell me everything.*

Once he'd alighted in the snow, she slipped off his back and took a few steps through the crunchy whiteness. Cloudjumper waited patiently. At last, Valka took a deep breath and began to speak. "When Hiccup found Toothless, everyone thought he was the first person on Berk to ever ride a dragon. You and I know that isn't _quite_ true." His yellow eyes gleamed with fond amusement.

"But he was the first to…to _spare_ a dragon" Valka continued, wrapping her arms around herself as if to ward off the cold. "Or at least, to spare one so completely at his mercy…I killed dragons, Cloud" she confessed. "I hated it every single time, I hated myself, but I still…in self-defence, or to save someone else…I couldn't let one of my own tribesmates be killed, they were still my people." (1)

She began to weep. Cloudjumper shuffled closer and nuzzled her, crooning. *Don't cry, Valka, please* he implored her, as she embraced him. *You're not a dragon killer anymore. You didn't know any better. You didn't know the truth.*

"I…when you came, I thought…I was sure I'd have to…my Hiccup was there, and he was just a baby, I had to protect him" Valka pleaded, guilty and apologetic. "Then I saw you, not hurting him, not hurting _me_ , and it hit me all at once, what I'd done. That I'd killed intelligent creatures. I couldn't bring myself to...try and defend myself…I thought fate was catching up to me at last" she admitted.

Cloudjumper purred over her. *I wouldn't have hurt you* he assured her. *As soon as I saw you, I knew you didn't belong there. Besides, your eyes reminded me so much of Reika that I just…grabbed you.* He whimpered sheepishly.

Valka smiled at him, her eyes watering. "I'm glad you did. Is…was Reika your sister?" she asked gently, remembering that she reminded him of her. "What was she like?" Valka wondered, hoping to change the subject to something happier. It occurs to her a second too late that if Cloudjumper had lost his sister, this might not help after all. "It's okay, if you don't want to talk about it."

*Why wouldn't I?* he asked, blinking _puzzled._ Then he stared off into space, lost in memory. *My kind don't have large clutches. I had two clutch-brothers, Solaruppras and Hadegi. I was Solsetur. Reika hatched later* he explained. (2) Valka listened closely, enraptured. *She had lovely blue scales like our dam, and she would follow us everywhere, asking about everything she could think of.*

"She sounds like a dragon I'd have liked to meet" Valka commented. She hesitated, not sure if she ought to ask. "What…what happened to her?"

Cloudjumper let out a long sigh. *She ate a prey beast that must have eaten blue oleander. Reika grew sick, and weak, and none of us knew how to help her …* He moaned softly in sorrow and closed his eyes. Valka's heart broke for him.

She embraced him and nuzzled him like a dragon. "Oh, Cloudjumper. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I…I know it's not the same, but I hope you know that I'm proud to be a sister to you. I love you. You still have a family."

*I know* he crooned, nuzzling her in return. *I'm happy here, with you.*

* * *

Astrid was having the time of her life. A friend Stormfly had made here, Clawlifter, was showing them around the nest. Some dragons kept their distance; he said they had been hurt by humans before and were wary. Others were curious about Astrid, especially once they discovered she could understand them despite not being heart bound. It was a very strange thing.

There were flooded caves where hatchlings would learn to swim and fish. A troupe of Scuttleclaw babies were splashing about in one such lake; Astrid got soaked when they all charged over to greet her and Stormfly. *Who are you? You're a human! Are you nice? Your fur is yellow! Do you wanna play? Look how long I can hold my breath!* they said all of this and more, all at the same time.

Astrid quickly felt overwhelmed. *Quiet!* roared a nearby Scuttleclaw. The little ones stopped chattering, but they still crowded around Stormfly. She loved hatchlings and nuzzled them affectionately. Astrid couldn't resist petting them as well – they were so cute! But goodness, she hoped her own baby wouldn't be this much of a handful. "Hey, guys! My name's Astrid, and this is Stormfly."

They told her their names all at once, then snapped at each other because *I said mine first!* Their mother – or so Astrid assumed – rolled her eyes in exasperation. Stormfly rattled her spikes loudly to get their attention. *Speak one at a time, you silly things* she chided, *or we can't understand you!*

They briefly argued over who got to go first. *Where did you come from?*

*We're from the Berk Nest. Astrid's mate and his other half are our new Alphas, so she and I are very high ranking* Stormfly explained proudly, preening.

*What are you doing here?*

"Oh, well, Hiccup, my husband – I mean, mate – wanted to see if your alpha, the King, could help me and his, err, dam, hear thought-speak" Astrid told them, "and it worked. That's why I can understand you. If you were wondering."

*Why do you have a pet human?* one of them asked Stormfly. Astrid's eyes widened, caught between amusement and indignation. Pet human, indeed!

Stormfly cackled. *Astrid isn't my _pet_. She's my rider. We're partners* the Spike-Tail insisted, putting her worries at ease. *We learn new tricks together, and she grooms me until my scales gleam, and I comfort her when she's sad. We care for each other and fly with each other and fight by each other's sides. Really, Astrid is my best human friend* Stormfly declared, purring _happiness_.

"Aww, thanks, my girl" Astrid beamed. "Who's your best dragon friend, then?" she asked curiously. "Wait, don't tell me, let me guess…is it Toothless?"

*Good guess* Stormfly said, clicking _amusement._ *What gave it away?*

"Oh, y'know, the way you two play with each other was kind of a clue" she chuckled, before realising that the Scuttleclaw hatchlings were still there. "Sorry, we got distracted. Was there anything else you wanted to ask?"

*How did you and Stormfly meet?* one of them asked her inquisitively.

Astrid's good mood faded a bit. "Oh, err…that's not the nicest story" she warned, but before she could think of a better one, the youngsters cried out in disappointment. They clamoured to hear about it anyway, begging * _Please!_ *

Finally, she gave in. "Alright, alright! But don't say I didn't warn you." Astrid took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._ "We met when I was fifteen. She was…sort of…I can't say it" she shook her head, "I'm sorry. I don't like thinking about it." Stormfly cooed at her reassuringly. "Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you."

*It's okay* Stormfly croaked quietly. To the little ones, she explained *Astrid's human tribe and my pack weren't always friends. Our old Queen – an ugly, horrible Fire-Giant – made us raid the humans and steal their food. They fought back. Sometimes they'd capture a few of us so their fledglings could learn how to fight. I got captured, Astrid was learning to fight. She was very good at it.*

"No. Stormfly, you shouldn't praise me for that" Astrid protested. "I was so… _stupid_ back then! All I cared about was being the best warrior on Berk and defending my people, upholding my family's honour. I could have really hurt you, and I wouldn't even have known what a wonderful dragon you are!"

*Exactly!* Stormfly chirped, *You couldn't have known! Hiccup was the first one to figure it out. Besides, you said it yourself, you wanted to defend your tribe. As for hurting me….I don't know if you've noticed, Astrid, but I have very large claws and sharp teeth and spikes I can flick out of my tail. I could have hurt _you_. I wouldn't have, don't worry. None of us wanted to hurt you, not really.*

Astrid was touched, and surprised that she hadn't noticed before…Stormfly and the others had never really tried to kill or even injure their future riders, had they? Well, there was the whole incident with Hookfang, but that didn't really count. Before she could ask about it, a hatchling beat her to it. *Why not?*

*Because they were just fledglings. It wasn't their fault they had to fight us* Stormfly replied. There were other reasons, like the fact that if they _had_ mortally wounded any of the young humans, the full grown ones would have been very angry and probably killed them…but the young Scuttleclaws didn't need to know that. *I'm not saying we made it _easy_ for them, of course.*

"Oh, yeah, sure" Astrid smirked, leaning over to look her dragon in the eye. "You know, I could have totally taken you on" she boasted with a wink. Stormfly let out a little caw of amusement. *Of course you could, Astrid!* she replied.

*I don't get it! You were fighting, and now you're best friends?*

"Pretty much" Astrid nodded. "Hiccup showed me that dragons…that you guys weren't what we thought you were, and he needed our help, so I got the others and we were going to fly the captured dragons to rescue our tribe. I remember…he led me over to Stormfly and as soon as her snout touched my hand, it felt right. She was a beautiful warrior, like me, and we just…clicked."

Astrid felt a sudden urge to go flying. Stormfly felt it too, and stretched her wings. *It was nice talking to you* she said politely, *but we have a lot more to see and do. Run along, now.* She nudged them away, despite their whines of protest, and carried Astrid out of the cave. "They're so adorable. I bet they drive their mothers crazy, though, all that energy they have" her rider commented.

*Probably* Stormfly agreed. She looked back at Astrid with a mischievous glint in her eye. *You're going to have a baby. Maybe we should ask them for hints!*

* * *

The King's suggestion worked; Hiccup was able to let his father hear thought-speak via Toothless without getting a headache. "Right! Skull Crusher, say hello to Stoick" he prompted, beaming. *Hello, Stoick* the Rumblehorn grunted.

Hiccup turned to his dad. "See? I told you. Pretty cool, right?" he asked eagerly.

"Aye" Stoick nodded, "I s'pose it will be nice not to have to guess what they're tryin' to say. So…is that all?" he asked bluntly.

"Oh, yeah, we'll just…let you two get to know each other. C'mon, bud." Once Hiccup and Toothless had flown away, Stoick and Skull looked at each other.

"He probably thinks we're gonna have a long, involved conversation."

*Indeed* Skull Crusher snorted _agreement_. *But you're not that sort of human, and I'm not that sort of dragon.*

"Must be why we get along so well!" Stoick chuckled. Still, he figured since they were here… "Hiccup says you dragons don't call yourselves the same things we do. So what do Rumblehorns call themselves?"

*Our kind are called Chargers.*

"Good name" Stoick nodded approvingly. "It suits you. Speaking of names, you must have had one before – well, you know…"

*Before you named me* Skull finished. It had been a while since he thought of his former name. *Oloritiegbe* he answered at last (3). *Olori for short.*

"I never heard a name like that" Stoick remarked. "Where do you come from?"

*Far away* Skull Crusher answered. *Further than you Vikings have gone. The coast on the other side of a vast desert, a hot dry land with large prey beasts grazing on huge plains of grass. I'd never seen snow before I flew up north.*

Stoick had heard plenty of tales of the distant lands to the south that never had snow. The thought was appealing – Odin knew it would be nice not to have to shovel the damn stuff in the winter – but still, snow and ice were part of his world. He almost couldn't imagine life without it. "That must've been a shock."

The dragon snorted. *It took a bit of getting used to* he admitted. They both chuckled, though Skull's laughter sounded more like wheezing. *I was a chief* he revealed. *The alpha of my pack. I challenged the old one and won.*

Stoick's bushy eyebrows darted up to chase his receding hairline. "Really? I guess we have even more in common than I thought!" he remarked. Then he frowned. If Skull Crusher had been an alpha, but when they met he'd been alone… "Something happened to them" he said gruffly, but sympathetically.

Skull Crusher growled, but not at his rider. *Drago Bludvist happened to them.*

"Oh." Stoick reached out a hand, and Skull pressed his horn against it. "I'm sorry, old boy. That terrible man, that _monster_ …you don't have to talk about it."

*I want to – but there's not much to tell. I tried to fight the humans off, but they captured everyone. Only I escaped. I crossed the desert to get away from the hunters. I felt such guilt for failing my pack, I tried to protect others…but I never wanted to join another flock until recently. I could tell not all humans wanted to hurt dragons, even if I didn't go near them. But you understood me first.*

They really did have a lot in common. "I'm sorry for your loss, Skull Crusher…but I'll admit, I'm glad you came north. It's been an honour to have met you" Stoick declared firmly. The dragon head butted him gently – well, for a Charger – and he wrapped his hands around Skull's horn. "Truth he told, you weren't the first dragon I ever bonded with" Stoick admitted. He trusted Skull not to be upset.

*I know. Your first dragon was a Bellower – I mean, Thunderdrum – that you named Thornado* said Skull Crusher casually. At his riders' look of disbelief, Skull rolled his eyes and pointed out *I can smell a scrap of cod on a boat a thousand wingbeats out into the ocean. I could smell another dragon's scent lingering on the saddle. I asked about it and the other dragons told me everything.*

"Of course they did, the scaly buggers" Stoick grumbled. He'd been looking forward to telling Skull Crusher all about Thornado. Then something occurred to him. "So, err, did you and Thornado ever cross paths and meet?" he wondered.

*Not really. I rather dislike trying to talk to Bellowers, to be honest, Stoick.*

"You mean cos they're deaf?"

*No. They can hear thought-speak just fine. It's because they're just too loud.*

Stoick held back a laugh. Skull asked *Do you want me to meet him?*

"Well, it might be nice to see the fella again. I've missed him these few years."

*Climb on, then. I'll take you to Dragon Island. But don't say I didn't warn you.*

* * *

When they reached the island, Stoick and Skull Crusher first had to find Thornado. They ran into one of his adopted fledglings, now almost full grown. Bing said his sires were swimming in the ocean on the other side of the island. At least it sounded like he said 'sires', but Stoick assumed he'd misheard.

Skull hadn't been kidding about Thunderdrums being loud. Well, to be fair he'd known that already, thank you very much. Perhaps it _was_ because they were deaf, or maybe they just liked the sound of their own voices, but all of Bing's thought-speak was loud and direct. He rambled on and on about what they'd been doing, and how they'd caught a massive tuna yesterday, it was SO BIG!

At last he dived into the water in search of his family and Stoick breathed a sigh of relief. Skull groaned. "Heh. I see what you mean. Not big on being quiet, are they?" his rider chuckled, giving his carapace a hearty slap. He landed on the shore and once Stoick had dismounted, warmed up the ground to rest on.

It felt like a long time before five Thunderdrums burst out of the water. Stoick recognised Thornado immediately, and the dark blue sea dragon recognised him too. *Stoick! It's good to see you! Bing says you can understand us!*

"Aye!" he laughed, "That's Hiccup's doing. Or I guess I should say 'Alpha-Hiccup'. So I thought I'd come and visit for once. Oh, and I'd like you to meet Skull Crusher. He's a Charger, and my…well, second dragon. Not that you weren't a good one!" Stoick added hastily. Oh Thor, he wasn't _nervous_ , surely.

Thornado looked at Skull Crusher with interest. *Hello! Nice to meet you!* (4)

Skull resisted the urge to roll his eyes and groan. *Likewise* he replied.

*You must meet my family!* Thornado declared happily. *This is my mate Whirlwing! And our sons Bing, Bam and Boom! All of you! This is Stoick! My old rider! He helped me save Whirlwing from angry boars! Do you remember?!*

The purple Bellower replied *Yes! And you fixed my wing! Thank you!*

"Heh, yer welcome! And ah, apologies for mistaking your gender."

They all looked puzzled, or as puzzled as Thunderdrums could. *What do you mean?!*

"Oh, it's just that we mistook you for a boy dragon" Stoick explained awkwardly.

Whirlwing blinked rapidly several times. *I am a drake!* he declared bluntly.

Stoick was a bit taken aback. "Oh, you mean…you two are…that is, you're uh…"

*They're both males and they're mates* Skull Crusher declared. *What's the matter with that?* (5)

"Oh, nothing! It's just that I didn't know dragons could, uh, swing that way."

The dragons stared at him. *Love is love* Skull Crusher said wisely. *If we want to have offspring that can also have offspring, we mate with our own kind. If we want to be mates with a dragon we care about, we court them. It's simple.* He added *We can still have eggs with other dragons, but they can't have eggs.*

Stoick nodded slowly. "Ach, it's a shame Fishlegs isn't here. He loves this kind of stuff." After a moment, he hit on a solution. "I'll just get Hiccup to ask Toothless about all o' that later. So, Thornado, old friend" he said to the Bellower with a beaming smile. "Why don't you tell me how you and Whirlwing first met?"

* * *

(1) This is based on a headcanon from my friend Rarden.

(2) Their names are the Icelandic for Sunrise, Noon, Sunset and Wander.

(3) This is a mashup of 'Leader of the group' in Yoruba. Headcanon that Rumblehorns are native to Africa, since they're partly based on rhinos.

(4) I am far too amused by the idea that Thunderdrums yell all the time XD.

(5) The world needs more gay dragons. This is not up for debate.


	9. Three in One

Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

A/N: So this is three mini-vignettes in one, hence the chapter title, as I didn't have enough material for each of them on their own. Anyway, here ya go!

I'll Find You in the Dark

* **OBEY**. **OBEY**. **OBEY** *.

No! Toothless struggled, pushing back with all his might against the crushing force of the Alpha's will. He might as well have been trying to hold back a glacier, or a flash flood. All the defences he'd built up after _Her_ were washed away like sticks and pebbles. He felt his limbs tense and refuse to move the way he wanted them to. His pupils shrank until everything was a hazy scarlet blur.

* **OBEY. KILL HIM. OBEY** *.

Over and over, the command was beaten into his mind...over and over, his mind screamed in turn, _No! I can't! I won't!_ He could not, would not harm his other half. He couldn't see Hiccup, could barely hear his voice, but Toothless could smell his fear. Hiccup was afraid of him...and rightly so, because the other half of his heart and soul was about to kill him in cold blood! Like a monster!

Against his will, he summoned his flames, hot and bright. What was wrong with him? He should be fighting this! He should be firing anywhere else but right in front of him; how could he kill his other half? It made no sense. They would both die! He couldn't hold his fire back much longer. He was too weak. Hiccup would never have fallen prey to this control. _I'm so sorry, brother. I failed you..._

* **KILL HIM** *.

Before he knew it, Toothless had fired. The Alpha withdrew from his mind, and he slumped, panting, eyes closed. He didn't want to open them. Any moment now, he'd slip into an endless sleep with Hiccup...moments passed, and still he didn't feel like he was dying. Not really. In spite of the fear that gripped him like prey in its jaws, fangs stabbing into him, Toothless reluctantly opened his eyes.

The sight before him was one he had dreaded: Hiccup's body, limp on the ground, charred from Toothless' own flame. A despairing wail clawed its way out of the dragon's throat. Helpless, keening in grief, he staggered forwards and nosed at Hiccup's soft face. It was cold to the touch of his sensitive snout, and he couldn't feel or hear any breathing. Hiccup was dead, and it was all his fault.

Hiccup was dead...so why wasn't he? "You don't deserve it" a voice whispered in the shadows around him. Toothless startled, and crouched protectively over Hiccup...Hiccup's corpse instinctively. "Where was that protectiveness before?" the voice hissed. The dragon whined guiltily. It was true; he had sworn to protect Hiccup no matter what, and he had failed utterly. _He_ had done this.

"You're weak. Pathetic. You're nothing without me." Much to Toothless' horror, the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows. It was Hiccup, albeit faded and ghostly. He glared at Toothless, and the dragon cringed. "I begged you to stop. Are you really so weak-minded that you need to have me touching you for you to remember I exist?" Hiccup's ghost asked, voice dripping with incredulous scorn. Toothless whimpered. *I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you...I tried...*

"You should have tried harder. You're not dead, because the heart bind broke. You broke it the moment you chose to be weak, and give in to the Alpha's demands" the ghost told him. Toothless bowed his head in shame. "Don't even think of killing yourself, either. You deserve to suffer and live with this guilt for the rest of your life" -

*STOOOP!*

Both dragon and ghost looked up, startled, at the roar. Toothless stared in utter bewilderment as a small brown Night Fury dropped out of the sky between him and Hiccup's ghost, and spoke with Hiccup's voice. *Stay away from him!* the Hiccup-Fury snarled, fangs bared, wings spread as if to shield Toothless from view. The dragon looked past his wing, and saw Hiccup's ghost staring in shock.

The ghost stared; then his face cleared, and he slowly reached out to the strange dragon. "It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you..." he crooned, so reassuring and gentle that it broke Toothless' heart. The brown Fury hissed viciously at him. *I'm not an idiot* he said...in the blink of an eye, he was replaced by Hiccup, solid and alive. "You are not me" he insisted, " _I'm_ the real Hiccup. _You_? You're just lingering guilt and fear, given form."

He snatched Inferno from his thigh and ignited the blade. "And I won't let you torment my other half with my face and my voice!" The sword swung down, slicing through the ghost-Hiccup...with no effect. Hiccup winced. "Ah...should've figured that wouldn't work" he admitted, sheathing his sword again.

He turned to Toothless and smiled comfortingly. "It's okay, buddy, I'm here. You're having a nightmare." A...nightmare? Toothless whimpered uncertainly, staring wide eyed at living Hiccup, then ghost-Hiccup glaring at him from behind the others back, and finally down at dead Hiccup lying at his feet. "You killed me" ghost-Hiccup hissed accusingly.

"Shut up" Hiccup snapped. To his dragon, he said more gently, "I'm alive, Toothless. You never hurt me. Don't listen to it, it's not me, it's just your own mind playing tricks on you. You're dreaming, bud" he murmured. Toothless looked up at him, confused. "We went to bed, remember? I found myself in our dream realm, but you weren't there, so I came to find you. I didn't think you...oh, buddy, do you really still blame yourself? He made you do it!"

Toothless slowly backed away a few steps, not taking his eyes off of Hiccup's. *That's...the problem. I'm too weak* he whimpered. *I'm not...strong the way you are. I'm scared. I don't want to hurt you.* Toothless lay down and rolled onto his back, exposing his belly and throat in submission. Hiccup stared at him in concern. Toothless thought he was weak? There must be more going on here.

To the surprise of his dragon, Hiccup proceeded to lie on his own back, tilting his head so he was squinting at Toothless upside down. "Ah, this isn't that comfortable, is it? What d'you say we lie on our fronts instead?" he suggested, doing just that. Toothless copied him, and they ended up eye to eye again.

Resting his weight on one arm, Hiccup reached out with his free hand and caressed the dragon's face. Despite himself, Toothless purred and pressed closer. "I don't blame you" Hiccup murmured, "You know that. Why are you still blaming yourself?" he asked. Toothless looked away. "You said you were weak. Toothless, you're one of the strongest people I know! What gave you the idea you were weak?" Hiccup inquired. Toothless glanced at him nervously, and finally answered, "He took me over."

"That wasn't your fault! No dragon could have resisted an Alpha like that; and besides, you did resist. You were fighting the whole time! You're not weak, Toothless, not at all" Hiccup told him. The dragon's tail twitched with frustration. Hiccup didn't understand. *I'm weak-minded. I know I tried to fight him off, but...I nearly didn't. If Eret hadn't stunned me, I might have...I would have...* he closed his eyes in shame.

"Hey, hey, hey, shhh" Hiccup whispered, wriggling closer and placing his hands on scaly black paws. "Toothless, look at me." He waited until the dragon had opened his eyes, before saying "I know it was a close call. If the worst had happened, I wouldn't have blamed you. If we woke up in Valhalla together, the first thing I'd have done is forgiven you" he declared, open and honest and loving.

Toothless tried to purr, but only a whimper emerged. He didn't deserve Hiccup's forgiveness; he didn't deserve Hiccup. "And don't go thinking you don't deserve to be forgiven, or some nonsense like that" his perceptive human admonished gently, "it was not your fault. I don't understand, Toothless. Just because you couldn't resist the Alpha's commands, it doesn't make you weak-minded."

*You would have resisted* Toothless said mournfully.

"Well...it didn't really affect me. I'm not a dragon" Hiccup pointed out.

*Exactly. Dragons...our bodies are stronger than humans* Toothless conceded, *but your minds are so much stronger than ours. You don't even know about will and yet you have so much of it, you're bursting with it. It's what let you stand up to dragon raids for generations. When we fought the Red Death, and Usurper, having you riding us helped shield us from those Alpha's control* he tried to explain.

Hiccup waited patiently for Toothless to gather his thoughts. *I was too busy to think about it, before...but now I can't stop thinking about how I almost...I know it wasn't really my fault, but there's so much that could make me hurt you. Alphas, dragon root, those leeches - if I lose control of myself and attack you again...* he trailed off with a whine. Hiccup squeezed his paws and reached a hand up to caress his face.

"Oh, Toothless. It'll be okay" he murmured softly, "You don't have to worry. We can avoid grimora and dragon root, and as for being under an Alpha's control, that's not going to happen again. We're Alphas now, you and me, that makes us immune...doesn't it?" A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice, because he didn't actually know. He had just assumed that surely, they would be immune to that control...

*You're immune, and I...should be, but what if Usurper comes back? I'd have to fight him with my mind as well, and I don't know if I'm...*

"You are strong enough, Toothless" Hiccup insisted, "and we're stronger together, we always have been. I'll be right there with you."

Toothless stretched his neck forward and nuzzled Hiccup gratefully. *Hiccup, will you promise me something?* he asked.

"Of course, bud, anything."

*If I do lose control of myself, promise me you'll run. Don't try to snap me out of it, just get away. And if...if you have to hurt me to stop me, just do it. I don't care if you hurt me, I can take it, but I could hurt you so much and I couldn't bear it if I did* Toothless explained. He'd rather feel pain for a little bit, than guilt from hurting his dearest one for much, much longer.

Hiccup looked at him for a long moment. "Only if you promise the same" he said finally. Toothless tilted his head, confused. What could make Hiccup lose control? "We don't know for sure that there's nothing out there that could make me...act different. I'll make your promise if you do; if anything makes us turn on each other, we'll save each other, but we'll save ourselves first. Deal?"

Toothless nuzzled him again. *Deal. I promise.* His heart ached at the thought of anything making him hurt Hiccup, but at least this way, Hiccup would be safe. Calmer now, he heaved himself to his feet and stretched his wings out, jerking his head at the saddle invitingly. Hiccup grinned and scrambled up. "I thought you'd never ask" he joked, swinging into the saddle. At once they were up in the air and away.

* * *

Cracking the Shell

All over their new, different-yet-familiar nest, the Swift-Wings of Myrkr played and bickered and slept and chattered, far away and safe from any humans who might hunt them. All throughout the warren of caves and tunnels beneath the glaciers, jet-black dragons formed knots of friends and family in the gathering place, and the kits played under the watchful eyes of their dams in the nursery.

In the depths of one cave, a single drakaina snarled and paced with heavy footsteps back and forth. Her tail lashed in frustration. Oh, how she hated these caves. Too small, too narrow, none of the wonderful sprawl of their _proper_ Nest. Why was everyone so happy to be here? Their pack had lived in that mountain for generations; their flock-mates had died to defend it. Then they just _left._

Eclipse's wing ached. She had been so bored, that month when it was broken. She'd left the healing caverns just in time for Shadow to return; he came to her with beseeching croons, apologising, saying they could still be friends. Eclipse had swatted his nose to draw blood and chased him away. _He_ had left _her_ ; he could keep leaving, as far as she cared! She didn't want or need him anyway!

Selena had been even worse, prancing through the nest cooing _delight_ about all the friendly humans and dragons she'd met. Eclipse soon grew sick and tired of hearing it. Hiccup might have bound her wing so it would heal right – she could, begrudgingly, agree that _he_ at least meant dragons no harm – but that didn't mean any other human could be trusted. Humans were still dangerous.

Queen Phoebe had looked at the ships come to catch them and led everyone away from their home. There were too many humans to fight off; it was safer to flee, safer to hide. No-one but Eclipse seemed to care why the humans knew where to find them; because they'd let a human live, and then more came. Just like she knew they would, and she would have killed every last one of them!

Eclipse had fallen in the hierarchy; and to add insult to injury, that drakaina learning from Ekaren and her heart-bound mate had been honoured by the Queen. Eclipse had been higher in status than them; now she was lower. Not to mention, the Queen-to-be had abandoned her pack and her duty to go and flick her tail at Toothless. He was an Alpha now, and called his pet human alpha too.

Grumbling to herself, Eclipse scorched the cave floor and curled up on it, her bitter yellow eyes fixed on the entrance. She would not sleep yet, and even when she did, a part of her would be on guard. It _hurt_ that she could not feel safe in this nest. It hurt that she was by herself, but her pride would not let her seek companionship. Eclipse swallowed a whimper. She wanted to go home.

She saw the shadow flowing over the stone; her ear-flaps flicked at the sound of stealthy paws. Straightaway she rose to her feet, a snarl in her throat. *Don't growl at us* the orange-eyed drake said disapprovingly, curtly, as he rounded the corner. Eclipse bristled when his mate joined him, feeling cornered. She knew these dragons, they were parents to her – her former mate's best friend.

They were also above her in the hierarchy. *Raven-Shade* she greeted warily, rising from a wary crouch to sitting back on her haunches. *What brings you here?* she asked. The older Swift-Wings paced into her cave and sat down at the side. Eclipse could dash for the mouth of it, if she needed to. *If Black Fire has done something foolish, I swear to the Moon I had nothing to do with it.*

Raven calmly answered *This is not about our son. We're here to talk to you about humans.* Eclipse flinched; what in Moon's name did they want to talk about _that_ for? Shade continued, before she could say anything, *You've withdrawn from the pack, all because our thoughts on humans have changed, and yours have not. There is talk of you going rogue again, or worse* he said.

Indignant, Eclipse flared her wings and hissed. *You think I would turn on my pack-mates?!* She demanded, slit pupils glaring. *No one is more loyal to our pack than I! The only reason I went rogue, as you put it, was to get rid of that wretched human* Eclipse snarled. How dare they bring up her greatest shame, as if they'd found an old scar and clawed at it until it bled again. It wasn't fair!

Raven-Shade were undisturbed. They merely stood, raising their own wings, and silently reminded Eclipse that they were older, and stronger, and more importantly, there were two of them. *Now what?* she growled stubbornly, *are you two going to pin me down like a squalling kit until I behave?*

*If you act like a hatchling, then we will treat you like one* Raven answered coolly. The thought of being humiliated like that gave Eclipse pause. Reluctantly, she folded her wings again, and briefly bared her throat. They relaxed as well, acknowledging the gesture of submission. *We don't think you will turn on us. We're worried you will do something reckless, and get yourself hurt or killed.*

Eclipse blinked. They were worried? About her? *Why do you care?* she asked; it came out snappier than she intended. *Sorry, but I mean, I'm not friends with Black Fire anymore, and Shadow isn't my mate…not to mention I'm lower in rank than you are.* Even lower now than she had been, for all these years.

Shade answered *Believe us or not, it was Shadow who asked us to talk to you. He thought we would know how to do it best. After all, we believed the same as you, not long ago.* At least, he and Raven had thought of humans as the enemy until Toothless-Hiccup had turned everything on its head, five years ago. For a dragon, of course, five years was still 'not long ago'. Unless they were a Biter.

Eclipse's eyes narrowed. *Not you too* she almost whined. *Am I the only dragon left in this nest with any sense? Don't tell me _you_ like humans now.*

*We still don't _like_ them* Raven insisted in the same calm, stoic tone. *Part of us still fears them. Perhaps we always will* she admitted, and Shade curled his tail around her in a rare – for them – gesture of affection. *But we've met Hiccup properly, and a few other humans, like his mate and dam, that treated us with respect. We know now that not all humans want to harm us* she said.

Shade carried on. *Raven and I have always tried to do what made sense to us; and killing humans on sight no longer does. We'd kill them to defend ourselves, if we had to, but what good has murder ever done? Humans fear dragons, especially Swift-Wings, but that fear does not drive them away. Strange creatures that they are. Every human we kill is one they wish to avenge.*

Frustrated, Eclipse lashed her tail. *So what else are we supposed to do?* she demanded. *Just hide like cowards when humans come to hunt us, or abandon _this_ nest too? Should we fly down to greet them and look cute? Before humans found us, we were _safe._ Now they know about us, and even if the ones on that island don't hunt dragons, sooner or later the ones that do will come looking!*

She'd leapt to her paws, fangs bared, desperate to make them see. Shade spoke of things making sense – well, this made sense! If 'good' humans knew about them, then bad humans would know about them. *We killed humans on sight to stop them from finding our nest, remember? To protect our pack! Now it feels like I'm the only one who cares about that* Eclipse revealed, slumping.

There was a pause; then Raven crooned _sympathy._ *You're not the only one. Eclipse, these good humans do not know where our nest is, and they do not want to know. Hiccup even told us all that if we were ever threatened by hunters again, to call on him and Toothless. They will bring their pack to help defend ours, just as some of our pack-mates have helped to defend theirs.*

*Eclipse, we do know how you feel* Shade reassured her. *When Sable and Jet were killed*, she flinched, a tremor through her scales, at the reminder, *we would have taken you in as our own if Dusk's parents had not offered* he said.

 _That's the problem._ *Shade, please* Eclipse begged with a whine. *Please try to understand! My dam and sire were killed by hunters, right in front of me…and it was my fault* she admitted, the guilt clenching like jaws around her heart. *I flew off alone and saw humans, and I couldn't see any sharp things or catching things. One of them saw me and fled; I thought it was scared, but it _wasn't_.*

*And the other one _lied_ * she snarled. *It let me follow it back – it lured me back with fish, and then they threw nets over me and tossed me in a cage…I was so scared! I screamed for help and they came, my parents, and the humans shot arrows at them, _so many arrows_ – you were there!* Eclipse roared at them suddenly, *Shade, you blasted the cage open and Raven, you carried me away!*

*Why couldn't _they_ have done it?* she wailed. *Why did _they_ have to fend off the humans, why did _they_ have to die?!* Eclipse remembered it all too well – the noise, the fire-blasts everywhere, the terror she'd felt, struggling and screeching in Raven's paws, looking beneath and behind her as her sire and dam were brought down and dragged away on the ship, never to be seen again.

Glaring, Eclipse declared *If I had done this in the first place, my parents would still be here. Do. Not. Trust. Humans!* She beat each word into the ground with her paws, full of anger; at her parents, at Raven-Shade, at humans, at herself.

Raven and Shade looked at each other, and Eclipse, with concern glimmering in their uniquely coloured eyes. As quick as her burst of rage had begun, it ended, and Eclipse crumpled with a whimper. She hunched up, drawing her wings and tail in defensively. *Do not trust humans* she repeated. *Even if – especially if – they pretend to be kind. That night, I vowed to never make that mistake again.*

The silence seemed to last forever, and yet no time at all. *You still think Hiccup was pretending?* asked Shade. *I doubt he would betray us, after all this time.*

Eclipse tried to growl, but it came out as a moan. *I – no. Hiccup is…different. He had no reason to help me with my wing, but he did. I can believe _he_ does not want to hurt dragons. I can believe the humans he knows don't want to hurt dragons. But what about the ones _they_ know? Or the ones those ones know?*

Raven stood up slowly, and approached Eclipse on gentle paws. Shade followed her lead, and they settled on either side of the younger drakaina, not touching, but there. *Eclipse, we won't tell you that everything will be okay, or that things are different now. We know you don't want to hear all of that* she remarked. *But we want to remind you that you're not alone. You're part of this pack…*

*And packs stick together* Shade finished. *You've been shunning your friends for so long, but they do not want to shun you. It's just hard when you drive away any pack-mates who try to help. Even we thought you were fine, but now I'm glad Shadow asked us to talk to you. I think anyone else would have been chased off with a scorch mark on their rump* he said, with an amused purr.

The mental image made Eclipse snort. *So what are you trying to say?*

Raven nudged her with a wing. *We're saying you should let go of this bitterness and try to make friends again. Just because some of us no longer hate humans, doesn't mean that's the only thing we talk about. There's nothing that will change your mind, is there?* she asked, not judging or hopeful, but as matter-of-fact as ever. Eclipse could appreciate that about her and Shade.

Eclipse was about to deny that she would _ever_ change her mind about humans…but the tiniest bit of doubt stopped her. After all, if dragons as wise as Raven-Shade had changed their minds, maybe she was missing something… *The only kind of human I would trust would be one who hates them as much as I do* she declared at last. *As for making friends…I promise I'll try, at least.*

* * *

First Flight

At long last, a special day had arrived. Astrid finally decreed that Helena was old enough to be taken on a flight around the island by Hiccup and Toothless. Her father had prepared for it in advance; he'd made her a harness modelled after his old one, in her size, with her own belay lines. Helena was _very_ excited. She had wanted to go flying ever since she first saw them soar through the open sky.

"Come on! Come on! Come on!" she cried impatiently, bouncing up and down. Their little family, including the newest additions Selena and Ebony, were gathered at the nearest cliff to give Toothless a decent launching point. The five year old had run back and forth between the cliff and her parents, full of too much energy and excitement. "Come ooooooonnnn!" she whined dramatically.

Astrid chided "Helena, be patient. Honestly, anyone would think you wanted to grow wings yourself and be done with it. You really are your father's daughter."

"Yeah, but she gets the bossiness from you" Hiccup teased, and dodged a swat to his arm. "Alright, settle down" he said to Helena. "I hope you're not going to jump around this much in the saddle, young lady. You've got to _stay still._ "

"I can stay still!" Helena insisted. To prove it, she suddenly froze like a statue. Hiccup chuckled, grabbed her under the arms and swung her, giggling, onto Toothless' back. He clipped the safety lines on the saddle to her harness and climbed on behind her, attaching his own straps to his belt. Once he'd double-checked they were both secure, he asked "Okay, sweetheart, you ready?"

"Yeah!" she cheered, beaming. Astrid mounted up on Stormfly; Ebony was perched on Selena's shoulders. Toothless padded to the edge of the cliff and spread his wings; his rider and passenger braced themselves, and he leapt. The wind caught his outstretched wings and he glided out over the ocean far below.

It was only a very tame flight, but Helena loved it. "Whee!" Toothless banked gently and soared over the village, low enough that his niece could wave to everyone. He, Selena and Stormfly made a lap of the island, over Urchin's ice cave, the cove, and through the stone arch. "Uncle Toothless, go higher!"

The black dragon warbled and flapped his wings, carrying them up above the peak of Berk's mountain, up to the clouds. Helena felt such a thrill as the ground and the sea fell away below them, so far down! Yet with her dad's arm around her waist, and her little hands tight on the handles, she was fearless. The dragons climbed and levelled out, catching an updraft and hanging in midair.

"Daddy, look at the clouds!" Helena exclaimed in wonder. "Fluffy clouds…" she leaned out boldly to grab a handful, and pouted when her hand came back wet but empty. Hiccup chuckled, and she wrinkled her nose at him. "Don't laugh!"

"Sorry, darling" he apologised, trying and failing to hide a grin. "You having fun?" Hiccup asked, and Helena nodded, beaming at him. She waved to Ebony, who had her little wings spread instinctively, feeling the currents shifting. One day, the two year old kit would be old enough to glide on her own, Helena on her shoulders, and the two of them together would be unstoppable.

In true childish fashion, of course, Helena rapidly got bored. "Wanna do some tricks!" she announced suddenly, "I wanna loop the loop, and, and spin, and go whoosh!" This last part accompanied by a flail of her arms that was probably meant to be a dive. "Daddy, you said Uncle Toothless is the fastest dragon!"

Hiccup looked over at his wife for her opinion on the matter. "Astrid?"

"Don't look at me, she gets it from you!"

"I know that! But can we? Nothing too extreme, honest!"

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Alright! But so help me, Hiccup, if you jump out of that saddle with or without Helena, I will make sure you regret it!" she threatened.

Permission granted – sort of – Hiccup grinned down at Helena and Toothless. "Well, you heard her, bud. Let's show Helena some moves" he prompted, letting the tail-fin out. Toothless put on a burst of speed that had her squealing in delight, then started swerving back and forth. Helena soon got the hang of keeping her balance in the saddle; she was a natural, just like her father.

Toothless pulled off a neat loop the loop; Hiccup held her very tightly when they went upside down, but Helena was laughing all the while, like it was the most fun game. "Whee! Again!" she begged, so they did another. "Mummy, look!"

"I see you!" Astrid waved from Stormfly's back. *She must be a dragon soul too!* the Spike-Tail remarked, *It's like she was born to be flying in the air.*

"She is five years old, everything is exciting at that age" Astrid pointed out, before admitting "but it wouldn't surprise me. Like peas in a pod, those two."

Helena decided that she wanted to "Spin! Uncle Toothless, go roly-poly!"

"Woah, hang on, sweetheart. I'm not sure that's the best idea" said Hiccup. "You'll get dizzy and be sick." Getting thrown up on wasn't Toothless' idea of a good time, and it would take ages to get sick stains out of the leather saddle.

Helena pouted. "Will not!" she insisted. It always looked so cool when her dad and his dragon spun through the air, like that toy she'd gotten for Snoggletog one time. Except they didn't fall over and get lost under the bed. "Please, daddy? Just _once_!" she begged, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes.

Hiccup firmly told himself to _resist the cuteness!_ Which was easier said than done. It didn't help that he was biased; she was his little girl, how could he not want her to be happy? *She can probably manage a barrel roll* Toothless reasoned. He could sense his other half's resolve crumbling like sand.

With a sheepish half-smile, Hiccup peeked over at Astrid. She didn't look too impressed. Helena was still pleading with him. "Ask your mother" he said abruptly, his go to response whenever she asked something he knew he really shouldn't say 'yes' to. Astrid was better at resisting her cuteness anyway.

"Mummy, can I go for a spin?!" Helena asked, giggling at her own good joke.

Astrid sighed. "Alright. Just one, mind!" she said sternly.

"Okay!" Helena agreed at once. She never did that when Hiccup told her 'no'.

Hiccup told her to crouch down low and hold on tight. He double checked that the straps would hold; the last thing he needed was for them to be thrown out of the saddle; and gave Toothless the go ahead to barrel roll. The dragon decided to go one better; he angled himself upwards and climbed a bit, then folded his wings and fell, spinning vertically before snapping them out again.

Helena did indeed get dizzy; but it was so much fun! The sea and sky blurring together, until she didn't know which way was up and which way was down. She could get used to the dizziness. "Let's do that again!" she cheered.

"Oh no, we said one spin, and we meant it" Hiccup said in his firmest voice. The voice that made dragons look like scolded puppies, and sometimes – if he was lucky – made the twins not do whatever crazy stunt they had planned. Well, more like very occasionally, on that last part. Helena started begging him anyway. "Why does she always do this with me and not you?" he asked Astrid.

"Because she knows eventually you'll cave" his wife informed him blithely.

Stormfly pointed out *We're almost there, and we're still very high. Maybe we should go lower; and didn't Helena say she wanted to dive?* she asked.

*I believe her exact words were 'go whoosh'* Hiccup commented wryly.

Ebony perked up and wiggled excitedly at the mention of a dive. She wasn't just clinging to her mother, but strapped in with her own little harness. Hiccup had suggested it as a way to make sure the fidgety little kit wouldn't fall or try to jump off Selena's back. *Dive! Mama, dive!* she squeaked out impatiently.

"Helena, we're gonna land soon, but we've got to get lower. Time to go whoosh" Hiccup told his daughter. Her green eyes – like his own – lit up. "Okay, you ready? Hold on tight!" he urged her as Toothless folded his wings and dived. It wasn't nearly as steep or as fast as he would normally go, but Helena screamed just for the fun of it as they levelled off with a great big _whoosh._

Hiccup rubbed his ear. "Aaaaand I'm deaf" he announced, deadpan. Helena giggled. Toothless purred. Ebony let out a triumphant, adorable little roar.

The three adult dragons came to a landing on the largest sea stack. Astrid dismounted and went to help untangle Ebony after she tried to jump down and got pulled up short. Hiccup unclipped them both and climbed off, before getting Helena down as well. "So, did you enjoy your first flight?" he asked her.

She beamed at him, face flushed pink, her smile as bright as the sun. "Yeah!" Helena cheered, wrapping her arms around his legs in a tight hug. She let go just as quickly and embraced Toothless' head. "Thank you, daddy. Thank you Uncle Toothless." Helena purred like a little dragon, nuzzling her cheek against his. Toothless crooned happily and nuzzled her back, giving her a lick.

Her parents smiled fondly. "You're very welcome, sweetheart."


End file.
